Bollywood-style heist on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway

The accused were apprehended by MBVV police. Pic/Hanif Patel

The Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police apprehended three individuals from the Waghri community in Surendranagar, Gujarat, who were involved in breaking into moving tempos along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. The accused would do odd jobs to disguise themselves.

During the heist, one of them would cling to the moving tempos, break the lock with a mechanised handsaw or bolt cutter, and pass the valuables to another accomplice who would collect them in a bag. A third member would trail the tempo to conceal the daylight heist on the highway.

After the daredevil heist, cops said, the trio would disappear in different directions like in the Bollywood movie Dhoom.

CCTV screen grab of a vehicle being robbed

The trio have been identified as Nitesh alias Poya Dharmesh Butiya, 36; Dileep alias Kalia Karsan Bhojia, 28, and Bharat alias Mithiya Dhiru Butiya, 38. They were arrested after a complainant approached Waliv police on February 16 with a complaint that a bag containing Rs 16 lakh had been stolen by some unknown men on the highway.

The police said that the gang was involved in many such incidents, most of which have not even been registered. "They would live in Mumbai and do odd jobs. Nilesh would sell spices, Bharat is a security guard and he also works in a salon, whereas Dileep sells sarees in the market," said an officer attached to the Waliv police station.

"The trio would closely watch the delivery vans coming to the market, where the wholesalers send groceries or valuables to retailers. Once the delivery is done, the retailers give money to the delivery van driver, who would keep the money bag in the tempo, lock it up behind, and move ahead," said the officer.

"They would observe events from a distance, tailing the tempo on a motorcycle. Once it encountered a deserted stretch on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, one of them would attach themselves to the rear of the moving tempo, particularly near a traffic signal or an elevated area near a flyover," explained the officer.

"The individual on the motorcycle would act as a diversion during the daring heist on the highway, while the third member would maintain vigilance from an autorickshaw," he elaborated.

"The person affixed to the moving tempo would utilise a bolt cutter or a mechanised handsaw to unlock the door," he added.

"Executing the same modus operandi on February 16, the trio successfully robbed a bag containing Rs 16 lakh cash, which the driver had secured in the tempo after delivering goods to a retailer in Vasai East," the officer said. Following the registration of an FIR, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pournima Chougule-Shringi instructed the personnel at Waliv police station to swiftly resolve the crime. In response, Jayraj Ranaware, the in-charge of Waliv police station, assembled led by API Sachin Sanap to investigate the matter.

"We scanned CCTV footage and reached the criminals who were hiding in Limbdi taluka in Surendranagar district of Gujarat. After committing the offence in broad daylight, the trio would disappear in different directions, just like the gang would go underground in the Bollywood movie Dhoom. There are multiple FIRs registered against them at various police stations in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Palghar, and Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar police," said Sanap. At present, they are facing custodial interrogation and the cops said the involvement of others cannot be ruled out.