A gang of six armed robbers descended on a gold loan company in Nallasopara at 10.30 a.m. on Friday and fled with gold and cash worth ₹1.76 crore.
According to the police, the armed gang committed the robbery soon after the Tulinj branch of United Petro Finance Limited opened for business. A police officer said, “The masked robbers were armed with a pistol and a chopper. The office did not have a security guard. One robber used the gun to force a woman employee to open the safe of the locker room, while his accomplices threatened the remaining six employees at knifepoint and tied them up.” The robbers stuffed the gold jewellery and cash into three bags before fleeing the scene.
One bag left behind
Assistant police inspector Sudarshan Gaikwad, Tulinj police station, said, “When the gang tried to lock the door from outside, the woman employee rang the emergency alarm. The accused panicked and abandoned one bag at the door.”
The employees then alerted the Tulinj police and a team was rushed to the spot. The police found a Tavera car abandoned a short distance away from the crime scene and the employees confirmed that the robbers had arrived in the vehicle.
Mr. Gaikwad said, “Preliminary investigation indicates that the Tavera was stolen from the jurisdiction of Sinnar police station in Nashik on June 24. The armed gang also tried to destroy the CCTV cameras in the office, but a camera installed outside the office captured the image of one robber who had removed his mask while fleeing.”
The Tulinj police have registered a case of dacoity against unidentified persons under the Indian Penal Code along with relevant sections of the Arms Act.
