12 May,2026 07:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
The accused and recovered property in Navi Mumbai Police custody. Pic/Special Arrangement
The Navi Mumbai Police in Maharashtra have arrested three members of an alleged inter-state 'Irani gang' involved in a series of chain-snatching cases, police said on Tuesday.
Police have recovered stolen gold ornaments worth Rs 12.75 lakh, along with two motorcycles and a mobile phone, officials said.
They said that the arrests mark a major breakthrough in several pending theft cases reported in the region.
The investigation began after a chain-snatching incident was reported at Rabale Police Station on April 19.
A 41-year-old woman was robbed near Bridge Vihar Society on the Diva-Airoli road while walking with her family members at around 10.45 pm.
Two unidentified men on a motorcycle allegedly snatched her 10-gram gold chain, valued at around Rs 1.5 lakh, before fleeing the scene.
Following instructions from senior officers, multiple police teams began scanning CCTV footage from Airoli to Kalyan. Technical analysis and intelligence inputs helped trace the suspects to the Irani settlement area in Ambivli, Kalyan.
Acting on confidential information, police arrested three accused from the area.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abbas Sallu Jafri alias Irani Syed (29), Husaini Faiyaz Syed (45) and Jafar Abbas Ashraf Syed (36), police said.
All three are residents of Ambivli in Thane district, it said.
Police said during interrogation, the accused confessed to involvement in multiple chain-snatching cases.
Investigators have so far linked the gang to at least 10 chain-snatching cases registered at Rabale and Kapurbawdi police stations, among others.
Police believe the gang operated across Navi Mumbai and adjoining areas, targeting women in isolated locations during late hours.
Police have recovered around 85 grams of stolen gold ornaments, gold valuables worth Rs 12.75 lakh, two motorcycles valued at over Rs 1.2 lakh, and a mobile phone.
Officials said further recovery efforts are underway to trace remaining stolen items.
Police sources revealed that the accused are habitual offenders with criminal records across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
One of the accused reportedly has 25 cases registered against him, while another has 24 criminal offences on record.
Police are now investigating the wider network of the gang and trying to identify other members involved in the chain-snatching operations.
Officials said more arrests are likely as the probe continues.
