Crimes against women and children recorded a significant increase in Mumbai in 2025, even as officially registered cybercrime cases showed a marginal decline, according to the Mumbai Crime Report 2025 released on Monday. The report highlights a changing crime landscape in the city, marked by a sharp rise in street-level offences and differing interpretations of trends in cybercrime.
As per the report, crimes against women rose by 13% in 2025 compared to the previous year, while offences against children increased by 7%. In contrast, registered cybercrime cases fell by around 5%, dropping from 5,087 cases in 2024 to 4,825 cases in 2025.
Police officials said the overall rise in reported crime reflects rapid urbanisation, socio-economic pressures and increased public awareness about reporting offences. However, the decline in cybercrime figures has sparked debate, with experts offering differing views on whether the numbers reflect an actual reduction in digital offences.
Certified Cyber Crime Investigator Course Launched by Centre for Police Technology
Street crime sees sharp spike
One of the most striking findings of the report is a 55% rise in snatching incidents compared with 2024. In response to this trend, police have revised their crime classification system, introducing separate categories for mobile phone snatching and bag lifting.
Officials said the move was necessary due to the high monetary value of smartphones and electronic gadgets, which has increased both the frequency and financial impact of such crimes. In addition, street crime data now includes offences such as illegal parking, obstruction of traffic, rash and negligent driving, and negligent conduct in public places, registered under provisions of the Indian Penal Code or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Debate over cybercrime numbers
While official data points to a decline in cybercrime registrations, cybersecurity experts say the figures may not present a complete picture. According to specialists, only a limited proportion of digital fraud complaints received by the police are eventually converted into formal FIRs.
Residents and civil society groups in several parts of the city have pointed out that the complexity of the complaint process often discourages victims of online fraud from pursuing formal legal action. Police authorities, however, maintain that the overall crime data indicates improved transparency in case registration and deny any suppression of figures.
Improvement in detection and recovery
The report also shows improvement in crime detection and recovery rates. Overall detection increased from 74% in 2024 to 81% in 2025, reflecting better investigation outcomes, particularly in serious crime categories.
Property-related offences such as robbery, house break-ins and vehicle theft registered declines ranging from 30% to 40% across several categories. Recovery rates in property crimes also improved by nearly 5%.
Police conducted community-level programmes across multiple zones to return recovered property to complainants. Items returned included gold ornaments, mobile phones and other electronic devices, collectively valued at several crores of rupees.
Role of policing and technology
Experts attributed improved detection and recovery to increased police presence on the ground and the expansion of the city’s CCTV surveillance network. Enhanced monitoring has helped curb violent crime and improve response times, particularly in densely populated areas.
There has also been emphasis on strengthening community participation, intelligence-sharing and the effective use of technology to prevent and detect crime. Security measures in areas housing jewellery stores, electronics markets and banking hubs have been identified as critical to reducing street-level offences.
Changing patterns in cyber fraud
Despite the overall decline in registered cybercrime cases, the report notes an increase in specific categories of digital fraud. Investment-related scams—especially those promising high returns in a short time through stock market schemes—witnessed a noticeable rise.
Increases were also reported in insurance fraud, unauthorised data access, fraudulent websites, employment-related scams and email-based deception. At the same time, credit card fraud cases showed a decline.
The Mumbai Crime Report 2025 concludes that while law enforcement agencies have improved their detection capabilities and recovery mechanisms, the city continues to face evolving challenges. Addressing both traditional street crime and rapidly changing cyber offences will require sustained vigilance, better reporting mechanisms and continuous adaptation of policing strategies.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
