MUMBAI: Five men were arrested from Rajasthan for breaking into a jewellery store and stealing gold, silver and diamond ornaments worth around ₹6.8 crore. Following the theft, the MHB Colony police in Borivali launched a 45-day investigation and manhunt and finally arrested the accused on Monday.
The police have so far recovered stolen assets worth ₹4.65 crore, including approximately 3 kg of gold ornaments worth ₹4.5 crore and around 5 kg of silver ornaments worth ₹15 lakh, from the arrested accused. “We are trying to recover the remaining stolen property,” said a police officer from MHB police station.
According to the police, the incident happened on January 13. The complainant, Rakesh Shantilal Porwal told the police that between 10:30 pm and 1:30am that night his jewelry store, Gold Point, at IC Colony in Borivali was broken into and gold, silver and diamond ornaments kept in a safe were stolen.
Porwal added that his employees, Prabhu Singh and Narayan Singh, who had been working as salesmen in the store, had gone missing after the incident. Based on his complaint, the police registered a case of theft against the two employees and unknown others.
The police then formed special teams who began scanning CCTV footage of the store and nearby areas. The footage revealed that the two accused had fled the store after the incident. Tracking their movements, the crime detection team of the MHB Colony police station left for Rajasthan.
On January 28, thanks to CCTV footage, tip offs, and informants, the police found that one of the accused was hiding in a temple in the middle of a dense forest near the village of Kuwariya in Rajsamand district. Using thermal detection drones that could identify the accused’s heat signature, the police laid a trap for him and arrested him. When questioned he confessed that he had stolen the jewellery with the help of Ganpat Singh, Kishan Singh, Mohammad Singh Dasana and Devi Singh Dasana, all residents of Rajsamand in Rajasthan.
The police found that the remaining accused were also hiding in the same forest area and accordingly, a joint search operation was conducted. The police searched three forest areas in Rajsamand district with the help of Rajasthan police and the help of a private thermal drone.
Eventually, two more accused were arrested and handed over to the Borivali police. Once the police had produced the accused before the court and secured their police custody, they then tracked down friends and relatives of the other accused who may have helped shelter them. The police eventually found out that Ganpat Singh and Kishan Singh, were on the way to Kuwariya village on March 1, and the duo were arrested from there on Monday.
The MHB police is currently bringing the five accused to Mumbai where they will be produced before a local court on Wednesday.