Robbers have a field day

Arun Waghmare used the less than five minutes when security guards Hashmat Ali and Shakeel Ahmed and bank employees Dhekne and Dagde left the money unguarded,Kandivali police said.

The incident took place at 3.30 pm,more than two hours after the modified Mahindra Bolero left the office of Writer Safeguard Private Limited at Kamala Mills Compound in Lower Parel.

Investigating officers said Shakeel,Dhekne and Dagde got off the jeep on SV Road in Kandivali to replenish an ATM,leaving Ali and Waghmare to guard Rs 78 lakh.

Senior inspector Hareshwar Pimple said Ali too left the jeep a few minutes later to drink water.

Waghmare seized the opportunity and sped away with the vehicle.

“The others immediately reported the matter to police,who later found the jeep (MH 43 AB 4407) abandoned near Nirmala College on MG Road,at a distance of 10 minutes from the ATM,” said Pimple. “We have registered a case of robbery and are recording statements of the security guards and the bank employees,” he said.

Rs 1 crore heist at jewellery store

Unidentified persons broke into a jewellery store in central Mumbai’s N M Joshi Marg area and stole jewellery and cash worth over Rs 1 crore. The incident came to light on Tuesday morning,when the store owner found that the shutter lock had been broken.

The theft took place at Pooja Jewellers,located on the ground floor of the Shivaji Nagar building on N M Joshi Marg.

“The owner,Vijay Gurjar (52),resides near the shop. He was on his morning walk when he found that the shutter of his shop was broken. He informed his family of the incident and also called us. Officers went to the spot and inspected the place,” said an officer of the N M Joshi Marg police station,who did not wish to be named.

“Around two kg gold jewellery,25 kg silver jewellery,silver bricks and Rs 1.5 lakh in cash is missing from the shop. The total loss has been pegged at Rs 1.02 crore,” said the officer.

The police have learnt that there was no CCTV camera at the spot.

“We have recorded the owner’s statement. He told us that the shop had been shut around 9 pm on Monday. We are recording more statements in the case. A case has been registered against unidentifed persons,” said the officer.

Courier firm employee,aide arrested for ‘faking’ robbery

A 26-year-old employee of a courier firm was arrested by the LT Marg police on Monday for allegedly robbing Rs 22.10 lakh and claiming that he was robbed by unknown assailants. The accused had approached the police on September 5 and registered a complaint saying that he was attacked with a knife by unidentified persons who robbed him of the money.

The accused has been identified as Sanjay Thakur. The police have also arrested Thakur’s accomplice Kapurji Thakur (25) in connection with the case. The incident took place at around 3 pm on September 5 near Tulsi Hotel at Kalbadevi. Thakur,who is employed as a courier boy for a jewellery polishing unit,was carrying Rs 22.10 lakh to his office after collecting the cash from a customer in Kalbadevi.

“We began questioning him in connection with the case and he confessed that he had robbed the money himself with the help of an accomplice,” said an officer.

“Thakur’s injuries were superficial. He had once mentioned that he was carrying the money in his left hand,but when we asked him if he was right-handed,he changed his statement,” said the officer.

Both the accused were produced in court and remanded in police custody until September 17.

Theft at Ghatkopar temple

Unidentified persons broke into a temple in Ghatkopar and escaped with cash and valuables worth Rs 1.25 lakh. The incident apparently took place at around 4 am on Tuesday at the Jalaram Temple on M G Road,Ghatkopar (East). The police said the thieves escaped with cash and jewellery,including crowns placed on the idols.

“The temple has two doors. The thieves broke the lock of the main door,” said senior inspector R Gavit of Tilak Nagar police station.

The police suspect that history-sheeters from the area may be behind the crime.

“The temple donation box did not have a lot of cash in it when the incident took place. A probe is on,” said an officer.

Drug addict snatches mobile,chain on train

In an incident that puts a big question mark on the police claim of continuous presence in ladies compartments of suburban trains,two women were robbed by a drug addict on the harbour line between Govandi and Mankhurd on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. The criminal was nabbed by commuters,not police,as he jumped out of the train and onto the platform after one of the victims cried for help.

Sangeeta Bhandari,who works for a TV channel in Lower Parel,was retuning home to Mansarovar. She took the 00.15 train from Kurla. As the train left Govandi,a drug addict jumped into the ladies compartment. “He started questioning the journalist andsnatched her mobile. When I tried to dial the police number,the man chased me and snatched my golden chain. He jumped off as the train enetered Mankhurd station,but the public caught him,” said Sangeeta Adhikari,one of the victims.

She later lodged a complaint at Vashi police station.

A regular commuter Rita Singh said,“I work late into the night. More often than not there are no cops in the ladies compartment on the Harbour line at night.’’ P M KaryaKarte,senior inspector,GRP,Vashi section,said,“Due to shortage of staff,100 per cent patrolling at night is possible only in the ladies compartment attached to the motorman cabin or guard cabin.”