The city police have cautioned motorists against the activities of “attention diversion gangs” after two separate theft cases were reported under the Sadashivanagar Police Station limits, where unsuspecting victims lost expensive mobile phones while travelling in their cars.

In the first incident, Vishak Gopinath, a private firm employee, was driving towards his workplace on Ballari Road on Friday morning when he became the target of an attention diversion theft.

According to the complaint, at around 10.16 a.m., two unidentified men approached his car and gestured towards the front wheel, claiming there was a problem with the vehicle. As Vishak lowered his guard to check the alleged issue, one of the suspects distracted him while the other stole his iPhone, which was kept on the front seat of the car. The stolen phone is valued at approximately ₹1 lakh, police said.

In another similar case, B.R. Sravanthi, a businesswoman, was travelling towards Hebbal when she was targeted by an “attention diversion gang”.

She told police that while driving near Goshala Road, an unidentified man repeatedly knocked on one side of her car window, prompting her to open it. Simultaneously, another suspect approached from the opposite side and engaged her in conversation. Taking advantage of the distraction, the accused allegedly stole her mobile phone, which was kept inside the vehicle, before fleeing the scene. The stolen mobile phone is valued at around ₹1.5 lakh.

The police have registered cases in both incidents and have launched efforts to identify and trace the suspects using CCTV footage from the area. “We have some clues and are working to identify the accused,” an official said.

The police have advised motorists not to lower their windows or step out of their vehicles when approached by strangers claiming there is a problem with their car. Drivers are urged to move to a safe and crowded location before inspecting any alleged issue and to keep valuables out of sight while travelling.