The gang barged into the site at Badlapur, threatened the guards with weapons, tied them up, and decamped with lakhs worth of construction material, promising that they would return soon and they did
If you thought that only residential buildings are vulnerable to dacoities, think again. Earlier this month, a group of dacoits robbed tonnes of steel rods from a construction site in Badlapur, only to return in a few days and repeat the same crime. Both times, they got away.
After robbers decamped with steel rods worth almost Rs 6 lakh in two consecutive thefts, the builders have shifted the material away from the Badlapur site. Pics/Rakesh Karmokar
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In the wee hours of May 13 in Badlapur, some goons trespassed in Mohan Groups’ ongoing construction site at Badlapur. They tied up the security guards after threatening them with knives and guns, and looted about four tonnes of steel rods. On their way out, they announced that they would be returning soon.
True to their promise, these thieves returned in the wee hours on May 18, for yet another robbery. This time, they tied up the security guards, locked them in a room, and stole 10 tonnes of steel rods. This, in spite of the fact that the developer had registered a police complaint for the first theft.
An insider from the builder’s office said that on May 13, they realised that some men had barged into their riverside construction site and made away with steel rods worth Rs 1.8 lakh. The robbery was discovered after they found four security guards, tied up and helpless.
To their alarm, they learnt that the dacoits had made their way in, wielded guns and knives, and threatened the guards before tying them up. With the coast clear, they daringly drove a truck in, loaded it with steel rods, and left with the parting promise that they would return soon.
A spokesperson from Mohan Group said, “After realising what had happened, we were shocked, because we had heard of such a theft for the first time. We went to Badlapur (West) police station and registered a FIR with the police. The police even increased their vigil.” The builder registered an FIR under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code.
The police complain did little to keep the dacoits at bay, and they were back on May 18. This time they took it up a notch, making away with 10 tonnes of steel worth nearly Rs 4 lakh. “The goons came once again, threatened the security guards again, tied them with ropes and locked them in a room. They then called some other men, brought a truck with them, filled it with 10 tonnes of steel rods and fled.
What surprised us is that the incident took place twice. Now we have shifted all the steel rods from that location to another site. Had we known that their threats were for real, we would have increased the security,” said the spokesperson.
The cops expressed surprise that the dacoits dared to commit the same crime twice at the same site jurisdiction. Senior Police Inspector Dilip Patil said, “We have initiated an inquiry into the matter and have increased patrolling in the area.”u00a0
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