Accused are from three gangs in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka; their leaders are friends and come together for big targets
Police show some of the cash recovered from those arrested in the robbery at a gold loan office at Nalasopara. Pic/Hanif Patel
The Nalasopara local Crime Branch has cracked the robbery at the United States Petro Finance Limited's gold loan office at Nalasopara after 10 months. They recently arrested 10 people accused in it and are looking for others involved in the crime. The police have recovered all the properties (including gold and cash) worth around Rs 1.72 crore.
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According to the police sources, the accused are members of three different gangs from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. Their leaders are friends and they all come together only to carry out big robberies. It was the same (combined) gang that robbed a gold finance company in Vapi this January and escaped with Rs 3 lakh cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 6.56 crore. They are also involved in the Rs 6.59 crore diamond robbery incident in Mankhurd in the year 2018.
Friends with benefits
During enquiry it was revealed the gang leaders from the three states met in prison, became friends, and started working together. The gang leader from Karnataka was associated with Chhota Rajan. But after Rajan went to jail, he formed his own gang.
The gang leader from Gujarat is involved in such incidents in that state. The third gang leader from Maharashtra has members it staying at Malad, Andheri Dahisar, Nalasopara and Mankhurd.
This gang was also involved in the robbery of the Axis Bank ATM in Nalasopara during a cash transfer activity. Members of the gang snatched the bag of cash containing R38 lakh and fled in a car last year, said a police officer.
Police find an accused
"While investigating a case, we realised one of the accused in it was involved in the Nalasopara crime. Last month we traced him and during the interrogation he confessed and revealed the identities of and information about the other accused. We caught them from the different states. So far 10 accused have been caught and we are looking for another five who were involved in the crime. We have recovered 100 percent property including the cash and gold," said API Suhas Kamble, Nalasopara local Crime Branch.
The accused have also been booked and arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) he added.
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