It took hours for officials of the Parksite police station to arrest Aqeel Raees Ahmad Qureshi (28) after he locked himself in the room built in the mezzanine of a hotel at Amrut Nagar in Ghatkopar.
Qureshi, who had entered the hotel with the intention of robbing valuables kept by the hotel staff in the room, locked himself in after the hotel manager Sunder Shetty spotted him stealing mobile phones. Two phones were recovered from him.
Officials said Qureshi tried to jump out through a 10-ft high window, but was caught eventually. He even injured his feet in the escape bid. Prima facie investigation revealed that he was involved in similar crimes on two previous occasions.
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Officials said the hotel staff gathered below the mezzanine and tried to get Qureshi out of the room, but to no avail. On realising that their tactics were not working, they finally informed the patrolling officials, who were doing rounds in the area on the lookout for chain snatchers.u00a0
Qureshi was booked under sections 388 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code.u00a0