Mumbai: The Thane Police Crime Branch has arrested a gang of 15 people who were allegedly planning to rob gold finance companies and jewellery stores in Thane after observing them under the guise of running mango shops nearby. A similar gang had struck in Mumbai two years ago.
According to the Thane Police, the arrests were made after the crime branch received information about their plans on Tuesday and conducted simultaneous raids in Thane, Dahisar and Mira Road. While six of the accused were arrested from Ghodbunder Road in Thane, one was picked up from Dahisar and the rest were picked up from Mira Road.
“The accused are part of a gang of around 50 people operating across the country. Not all of them know each other, but their bosses are known to each other and work in coordination. The accused were planning to rob the Muthoot Gold Finance company in Thane and the Arihant Jewellers in Mira Road, and places in Uttarakhand,” said Thane Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.
Mr. Singh said the accused, posing as mango traders, had rented shops to sell mangoes near the establishments that they intended to rob. They observed all the details of the establishments, including its security arrangements and the best times to strike.
“Another tactic was to convince the security guards at these establishments to go on a long leave and offer to fill in as their temporary replacements, gaining easy access. Once the burglaries were committed, the accused would split up, making it difficult to apprehend them,” Mr. Singh said.
The 15 accused, who have been remanded in police custody for eight days, are either illiterate or school drop-outs but are skilled in cutting open shutters using gas cutters, picking locks and breaking open lockers. They are alleged to have burgled the Manappuram Finance Company, State Bank of India and a jewellery store in Thane last year, the police said.
