The detection staff of the MHB police was alerted at 12.30 am by Santosh Singh, a hotel employee, about the thieves who had snatched his mobile phone when he was on his way home
Illustration/Uday Mohite
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A nine-km chase in Borivli West by the MHB police on September 8 ended in the arrest of two serial mobile snatchers.
The detection staff of the MHB police was alerted at 12.30 am by Santosh Singh, a hotel employee, about the thieves who had snatched his mobile phone when he was on his way home.
Sunil Shelke has been remanded in police custody
Since the snatchers were riding a two-wheeler, they could easily escape through narrow lanes. Knowing this, cops decided to leave their patrol vehicle behind and take their bikes instead. They reached the spot where Singh's phone was stolen, near Sharmili beer bar, around 12.45 am. The duo had fled, but cops would soon find out that they were targeting others in a four-kilometre radius around IC Colony, Bhagwati hospital and Navagaon area of Dahisar West.
Also read: Mumbai: Thief falls off bike while trying to snatch woman's chain
Robbery on the run
"Since this area is under CCTV surveillance, the incident was captured. We chased the accused in the direction they'd fled. When officials reached near Bhagwati hospital, they got know that another mobile snatching incident has occurred. Rashid Alam, the second victim, told us what the accused looked like, which matched Singh's description. When we moved ahead and reached LIC colony, another auto driver Siraj Ansari, stopped us and said the duo had snatched his phone too. A few auto drivers went to chase them towards Navagaon," said a police officer. One of the accused is a 16-year-old, while the other is Sunil Anand Shelke, 23. Both are residents of Navgaon.
In Navgaon, the juvenile accused was found in a public toilet, while Shelke fled on the bike.
"We later caught him from the same locality and recovered nine mobile phones and Rs 12,000 cash. During enquiry, it was revealed that they'd also stolen cash from a milk shop while the owner was busy cleaning," the officer added.
Also read: Mumbai: Chain-snatchers go the wrong way, end up where they started, arrested
Juvenile teacher
The juvenile accused has been caught previously in similar case, but this was Shelke's first arrest.
The bike belongs to Shelke and the juvenile taught him to snatch phones and earn easy money.
"Two FIRs have been registered; one under section 392 (robbery) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC and the other under section 380 (Theft in dwelling house) and 34 of the IPC. The juvenile accused has been sent to the correction home, while the other accused is remanded in judicial custody," said Nand Kumar More, assistant commissioner of police, Borivli division.
Rs 12k
Cash recovered from accused
9
Number of mobile phones recovered from accused
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