Karachi crime rates rise with surge in mobile phone thefts

Data from the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) reveals a significant increase in street crimes in Karachi during October. The report indicates that 1,963 mobile phones were snatched during the month, marking the highest number of such incidents recorded so far this year. Comparing the first ten months of 2026 to the same period in 2025, mobile phone snatching rose from 14,875 to 16,668 incidents.

Other crime statistics for October include 36 murders, 5 extortion cases, 97 vehicle thefts, and 361 motorcycle snatchings. While vehicle and motorcycle thefts showed a decrease compared to previous years, mobile phone snatching and extortion saw upward trends. Notably, no incidents of bank robbery or kidnapping for ransom were reported during this period.

In separate law enforcement actions, police in Clifton arrested a domestic driver and an accomplice for a major house robbery at Bath Island, recovering gold worth over 26 million rupees. Additionally, authorities in Sachal arrested a suspect involved in a network that purchased snatched mobile phones in Karachi and transported them to Quetta for resale.