Mumbai Crime: Inspired by TV show, thief loots Rs 12.5 lakh booty

Police officers show the valuables recovered from the burglar who ransacked a home in Govandi

This 22-year-old burglar did his homework - watching Crime Patrol regularly and making notes on how not to get caught. But he didn't do a thorough job of it, considering he has landed behind bars.

Twenty-two-year-old Atik-Ulla Chowdhury from Mankhurd has been arrested for burgling a house in Govandi's Bainganwadi and decamping with cash and gold ornaments.

Trapped at last!
The crime happened when complainant Imtiaz Shaikh (46), who runs a furniture business, had gone out with his family on December 3, 2016. On returning on December 5, he found the windows and door of his house open as well as the cupboard unlocked. Shaikh found Rs 97,000 in cash and 40 tolas of gold and silver jewellery amounting to Rs 12.5 lakh, kept for his daughter's wedding, missing. He then lodged a complaint at the Shivaji Nagar police station.

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Senior inspector Bhimashankar Dhole and sub-inspector Mayur Bhamre started the investigation, which pointed the needle of suspicion at Chowdhury. However, the police could not catch him as he had already fled the area. Bhamre, through his informer network, later found out that the suspect had returned to the area. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Chowdhury was caught. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and also returned cash and jewellery worth Rs 10.42 lakh.

Modus operandi
Bhamre said the accused is an SSC passout and had enrolled in an English-speaking course and would pretend to be educated. "He only watched Crime Patrol and made notes in a diary on how not to get caught by the police. After the crime, he had fled from the area and stayed in lodges, changing them often, to avoid the police. As a habitual offender, he selected only those lodges that had a back exit, to be able to make a quick getaway," said Bhamre.

"He also bribed lodge employees to inform him if the police came for any routine inspections. When on the run, he stayed in lodges across UP, Bihar, MP and Maharashtra."

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According to his confession, he slept during the day and roamed on the streets at night to carry out his criminal activities. He also feared that if he slept at night, the police would catch him. He has a girlfriend on whom he wanted to spend money and live a lavish life with, officers said.

In custody
When produced in court, the accused was sent to police custody for five days. Inquiry is on to find out whether he has carried out more such burglaries. "The police have been trying to find the culprit of these burglaries in Shivaji Nagar area since 2015. Finally, he was caught and a major part of the entire booty has been recovered," said Bhamre.