Mumbai-Pune Expressway theft: Thane couple lost Rs 7 lakh worth of gold jewellery during a brief halt at a Mumbai–Pune Expressway's Grand Ocean Cube. Police only recorded a complaint, no FIR was filed and recovery came in a shocking, unexpected way
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.”
The Grand Ocean Cube, is a prominent food mall and pitstop located along the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. Often described as a “food court in the sky,” the location sees heavy daily traffic from travellers commuting between the two cities.
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. No immediate FIR was registered. We then decided to visit the location ourselves. My husband and I met the mall administrative officer, Srinivas Ursekar, who assisted us in accessing the 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. Our complaint was eventually recorded at Khopoli Police Station, but no FIR was registered."
"On February 10, I reached out to our local unit of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Thane and presented the CCTV footage to party member Vinayak Bitla. who reviewed the footage and initiated immediate action. By 6:30 PM, the driver was brought to the MNS office in Thane, where my gold kadda was returned. The following day, Bitla personally visited a jeweller in Baner where the driver had allegedly sold my ring. It was recovered and handed back to me — the ring had been crudely cut at the back. Later, mall owner Prashant Joshi informed me that this was the second reported theft incident at the establishment in the past three months. What was meant to be a simple hunger halt on a busy expressway became a sobering lesson: sometimes, the briefest stop can carry the heaviest cost," she added.
_e.jpg)
The stolen gold ring was crudely cut at the back and the kadda bore a visible dent, evidence of tampering during the Expressway theft PICS/ Mandeep Singh Khurana
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
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
