Sandalwood tree stolen from bungalow in Pune’s Market Yard

Police said the security guard and residents of the bungalow rushed to the spot after noticing suspicious movements. But the thieves shouted at them and left the place with the stolen sandalwood log worth Rs 15,000.

On receiving information, a team from Swargate police reached the spot to investigate. Police have received clues about the sandalwood thieves from CCTV footage from near the crime scene.

Police sub inspector Rahul Jog, who is the the investigating officer, said, “We suspect that the accused persons had conducted a recce to identify the sandalwood tree they stole. Investigation is on to trace the accused persons.”

Police have booked the accused under section 303 (2) 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In a similar incident, a gang of about eight persons had threatened a woman with sharp weapons and stole a sandalwood tree from near her bungalow in Prabhat road area in the wee hours of August 11. The 41 year old woman had lodged the first information report (FIR) in this case at the Deccan police station.

Police said the complainant in this case is a resident of a bungalow in Bharati Nivas Colony, Erandwane, in Prabhat road area. She woke up after noticing some suspicious activity around 3.15 am. The woman saw some men were chopping a sandalwood tree near her bungalow.

She rushed to the spot and raised an alarm to prevent the theft. But the thieves threatened to kill her by pointing sharp weapons at her and escaped with the stolen sandalwood.