Police warn travellers after jewellery theft on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

There has been an increase in the number of thefts reported along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK

The police have advised travellers on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway not to leave valuables unattended in cabs or buses while stopping for refreshments at highway food malls. In a recent incident, a cab driver allegedly stole gold jewellery after passengers stepped out to eat.

Police Inspector Sachin Hire of Khopoli police station told mid-day, "Theft of valuables is often reported on the expressway, especially in buses, but now these are increasing in private cabs as well. In most cases, passengers leave their valuables inside the vehicle when they go for refreshments. I advise travellers to always carry their valuables with them. It will help prevent such incidents."

What food mall says

The official spokesperson of Grand Ocean Cube told mid-day, "We have installed CCTV cameras covering all areas of the premises. We receive frequent calls regarding thefts or missing valuables. In this case, we were informed promptly and immediately reviewed the CCTV footage from all directions. The footage was shared with the persons concerned. We also have a separate lost-and-found cell at the mall, as many visitors often forget mobile phones, purses, and even expensive valuables at the premises."

What happened

Poonam Ahuja, 37, and her husband Mandeep Singh Khurana, 37, lost gold ornaments worth around Rs 7 lakh during a halt on the expressway. "On February 7, we were returning to Mumbai after attending a wedding in Pune. We checked out of the hotel around 3 pm. At about 4.15 pm, we stopped at Grand Ocean Cube on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. We left our bags inside the car and went in to eat. The halt lasted for about an hour," Poonam said.

According to Poonam, after reaching home, she realised that a gold bangle and a gold ring were missing from her bag. "We contacted the driver, who denied taking anything," she said. The next morning, the couple returned to the food mall and requested access to CCTV footage. "Visuals showed the driver moving to the back seat, where our bags were kept, and spending several minutes inside the parked car while we were away. We confronted the driver again and our jewellery was recovered in 24 hours," she added.

Police advisory

>> Avoid carrying expensive valuables while travelling
>> Do not leave jewellery, cash or other valuables inside buses or cabs when stepping out
>> Do not hand over purses or bags to unknown persons while using public facilities