As the crowd swells at Deonar’s goat market ahead of Eid ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, thieves are taking advantage of the rush, stealing mobile phones and cash, a police officer said on Tuesday. In the past two days, Mumbai police have registered three theft cases, the officer said. Bakrid will be celebrated in Maharashtra on June 29 (Thursday). According to an officer from the Deonar police station, two traders lost their mobile phones, each costing about Rs 35,000, while another trader’s phone worth Rs 10,500 was stolen.

In all cases, the traders said the phones were taken away by thieves when they were busy selling goats at the bustling market.  The thieves move in groups to divert the attention of traders, the police officer said. The police have also come across complaints of cash being stolen, the official said. “We have registered three theft cases and will scan the footage of CCTV cameras at the market,' the official added.