Surat Katargam police on Sunday arrested a tenant who allegedly stole cash and jewellery from his landlord’s flat on December 3 — and then allegedly left his motorcycle on a roadside, with Rs 2.69 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh in a bag hanging from it.
Police produced the accused, Daxesh Patel, who is allegedly also the motorcycle’s owner, in court and obtained one day’s police remand.
This motorcycle had earlier been recovered by Rander police, who later handed it over to Patel along with the cash and jewellery. A purported video of the handover circulating on social media prompted the landlord to approach Katargam police and lodge a theft complaint.
According to police, a paan shop owner in the Ramnagar area of Rander had spotted the motorcycle parked near his stall on December 3 and informed the Rander police.
Officers allegedly found a helmet and a bag on the vehicle. On checking the bag, they recovered three sets of men’s clothes and an empty small liquor bottle along with the cash and ornaments.
Rander police inspector R J Chaudhary said, “Based on the registration number, the bike owner was identified as Daxesh Patel, a resident of Katargam and a native of Khambhat in Anand district. Our team reached his house and learned that he had been renting the second-floor flat owned by Akash Shiroya, who lives on the first floor. Shiroya runs a diamond trading business.”
He added, “We also met Akash’s mother, a senior citizen, during the inquiry but at that time, the family was unaware of any theft. On December 4, Akash came to our station, where we handed over the bike, cash, ornaments and clothes. Videos of the handover later went viral on social media.”
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According to Chaudhary, Patel told police he had felt uneasy while riding the motorcycle and stopped near Jahangir Pura. He allegedly left the bike to buy medicine and later claimed he had forgotten where he parked it. He was believed to be preparing to travel to Surat railway station to board a train to his hometown.
Meanwhile, after seeing the videos on social media, Shiroya allegedly recognised Patel and the cloth bag, which he said belonged to his family. When he checked his almirah on December 5, he found cash and jewellery missing. He then approached Katargam police and filed a complaint stating that Rs 3.55 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh had been stolen.
Police said Patel was absconding when they went to arrest him, and his phone was switched off. On Sunday, he was arrested from the Katargam area, and police recovered the stolen cash and jewellery.
Katargam police inspector B K Chaudhary said, “During interrogation, Daxesh confessed to stealing from Akash Shiroya’s flat. He previously worked at a diamond firm but had been unemployed for several months, which led to frequent arguments with his wife. Both families knew each other, and Daxesh had access to Akash’s flat. On December 3, after Akash and his family stepped out, Daxesh went to their house. When Akash’s mother went to answer nature’s call, he took the keys kept under her mattress, opened the almirah and removed the bag containing cash and jewellery.”
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He added, “Out of the stolen amount, Daxesh had deposited Rs 1 lakh in his bank account and bought a new mobile phone for Rs 15,000. His wife had left him three months ago and is staying with her parents in Surat.”
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
