Thane crime: Three held for stealing smartphones, other electronic goods worth Rs 17 lakh

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An official said police have arrested three persons from Navi Mumbai for allegedly stealing mobile phones and other items worth Rs 17 lakh in Maharashtra's Thane city two weeks back, reported news agency PTI.

"Some miscreants had entered the shop located in APMC Market area in Navi Mumbai's Vashi on July 14, and stole mobile phones and other items worth more than Rs 17 lakh," Sunil Shinde of the Navi Mumbai police's central crime unit told reporters while sharing information about the Thane crime.

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Following the incident, two teams were formed to trace the accused and based on the technical and intelligence inputs, zeroed in on the culprits in Turbhe village of Navi Mumbai, he said while sharing information about the Thane crime, reported PTI.

The police recovered the entire booty from them, including 101 packed smartphones, 26 branded smart watches, 10 ear buds and other electronic goods, totally worth Rs 17,19,606, he said.

An FIR under sections 331(4) (house breaking), 305 (theft), 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered against the accused, identified as Selvaraj Mani Nadar (55), Naresh Kumar Munnilal Varma (27) and Aniket Samsher Yadav (19), the official said, reported PTI.

During their interrogation, it came to light that Nadar had 12 cases registered against him at nine police stations, while one case was registered against Yadav at the Sanpada station, he said.

In another case, a thief broke into a temple and decamped with the 'hundi' (cash box) containing Rs 6,000 in Thane district, police said on Thursday, reported PTI.

The accused, who targeted Radhakrishna Temple in the Khadegolawali area of Kalyan town, is currently lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai in connection with another crime which he committed after the theft at the shrine on the intervening night of July 13-14, said an official, reported PTI.

He was identified on the basis of CCTV footage and police will take his custody from jail authorities for interrogation, the official said, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint by the temple's caretaker, police on Wednesday registered an FIR against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, a man from Tripura has been arrested in Thane for committing thefts, police said on Wednesday, claiming that he used to fly to Mumbai and take shelter in a drain before going back after stealing in the metropolis and nearby areas, reported PTI.

Raju Mohammad Jenal Sheikh, alias Bangali, was arrested by the crime branch on July 25 while trying to sell stolen jewellery in Thane's Wagle Estate area, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shivraj Patil, reported PTI.

Police seized stolen jewellery and cash worth Rs 1.13 lakh from him, the official said.

Citing Sheikh's questioning, Patil said the man has committed seven more similar crimes in Thane. He also faces cases in Gujarat and other parts of Maharashtra, he said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)