The Mankhurd police on Thursday recovered the car used in the robbery of the cash transport van in Mankhurd on Wednesday. The police said the car turned out to be stolen, and inquiries are being made into its theft for clues about the robbers’ identity.
The van, belonging to Securitrans India Pvt Ltd, was on its way to Mumbai after collecting cash from the ticketing counter at Mankhurd railway station. Four men blocked its path, grabbed ₹16.58 lakh kept in the back and fled in a Maruti Alto on Wednesday afternoon.
Stolen from Navi Mumbai
Police sources said the car was recovered around 1.5 km from the scene of the crime while the police were combing the area.
“The car was parked near Aagar Wadi in Govandi. It was empty and we did not find any documents or any other clues inside. We have learned that the car was stolen from Navi Mumbai in May, and are obtaining further information,” Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone VI, Shahaji Umap said.
The police are also seeking information about repeat offenders with a history of vehicle theft and armed robbery from the Navi Mumbai Police to check if they might be involved in Wednesday’s offence.
Well-planned crime
“The modus operandi indicates the accused have past experience and this was a well-planned crime. We suspect the robbers kept a watch on the agency’s office and followed its vans to identify the easiest target,” an officer who is part of the investigation said.
Officers said the spots where the robbery occurred and the car was recovered are not covered by CCTV cameras. The police suspect that both spots were chosen with full awareness of the fact, suggesting the involvement of habitual offenders.
The police are also questioning employees of the agency to find out if any of them might have tipped off or helped the robbers for a cut of the profits.
While the robbers first tried to rob a trunk containing ₹37 lakh in cash, they ultimately only made away with ₹16.58 lakh.
