Gang of burglars caught after ransacking '80K, gold; accused partied in Royal Palms villa before being caught. In a significant breakthrough, Kurar police have arrested four members of a notorious burglary gang, including one accused in over 40 theft cases and another with a murder charge to his name.
The accused in custody of the Kurar police along with the recovered gold jewellery. Pic/By Special Arrangement
In a significant breakthrough, Kurar police have arrested four members of a notorious burglary gang, including one accused in over 40 theft cases and another with a murder charge to his name. The gang is responsible for multiple house break-ins, including a recent burglary in Malad East’s Pimpri Pada area.
According to the police, the gang operated with a meticulous modus operandi. During the day, they would scout residential areas, identifying houses that appeared to be unoccupied. At night, they would return, break open locks, and execute the thefts. To avoid interruption, the gang would lock neighbouring homes from the outside, ensuring no one could come out to raise an alarm.
One of the accused, Abdul Hamid Ansari alias Appu Khuta, 29, is a hardened criminal with over 40 criminal cases. Police said Khuta has been committing crimes since his teenage years and has spent most of his life behind bars. He was released from jail on May 29. Akash Chandrakant Pawar, 27, is a murder accused who spent five years in jail for a 2020 homicide case. He was released a few months ago and allegedly resumed criminal activities.
Suraj Sanjay Jadhav, 26, is an autorickshaw driver whose vehicle was used in the crime. He was responsible for conducting recces and transporting gang members to and from the crime scene. Dipali Dampar Bhul alias Soni, 25, is a close associate of the accused, arrested for the first time. Her role was to keep watch around the targeted location and assist in recces.
“Soni was the first to be caught on June 4. During her interrogation, she revealed the names of the other three accused, including the auto driver,” said an officer from Kurar Police Station.
The crime
The gang had broken into a locked house in Ashtvinayak Chawl, Pimpri Pada area, Malad East, on June 3. The complainant, Nazir Shaikh, 38, who runs a laundry business, had gone to Jalgaon on May 30 to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral. Upon his return, he found the house ransacked. Thieves had broken the lock and stolen approximately Rs 80,000 in cash, along with gold jewellery, including chains, earrings, necklaces, rings, and some valuable foreign coins.
A case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered. Under the guidance of DCP Mahesh Chimate, Senior Inspector Sanjeev Tavde, and Police Sub Inspector Avinash Nalavade, the team used CCTV footage and call data records to trace and apprehend the suspects.
Jewellery recovery
During interrogation, accused Pawar claimed he had hidden the stolen jewellery in a pouch inside the boot space of the autorickshaw owned by Jadhav. However, upon searching, the police found the pouch missing and the boot broken. “After further questioning, Pawar admitted that during his court hearing, he alerted some friends about the pouch. His friends later removed the bag and dumped it near a garbage site in Pimpri Pada,” said a police officer. After an extensive two-hour search, police recovered the stolen jewellery pouch from the location.
Lavish party
The accused reportedly divided the Rs 80,000 cash, keeping Rs 10,000 each. They used the remaining money to purchase drugs in Andheri and rented a villa at Royal Palms, Aarey, where they partied through the night. So far, four accused have been arrested. One more suspect remains at large. Police say further investigation is underway as the accused remain in custody.
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