Mumbai: In a startling incident, a luxury SUV worth approximately ₹25–30 lakh was stolen from a residential building in South Mumbai, and despite nearly three weeks of investigation, the vehicle remains untraced.
Suspects tricked watchman into handing keys
The theft took place on June 2 from Valase Fortuna, a residential building in the Dongri area. According to sources, a group of unidentified persons arrived at the premises in a purple-coloured car late at night and approached the building's watchman.
The suspects allegedly asked the watchman for the keys to an SUV belonging to Khalid Patel. Believing that the request had come from a member of the vehicle owner's family, the watchman handed over the keys. The accused then drove away with the SUV and disappeared. A case was subsequently registered at Dongri Police Station, and an investigation was launched. However, more than 20 days later, the stolen vehicle has not been recovered.
Suspects changed plates after Atal Setu
Investigators have reportedly examined hundreds of CCTV camera recordings from various locations, but the complainant claims that the footage available so far lacks sufficient clarity. Since the registration number of the vehicle used by the suspects is not clearly visible, police are attempting to trace it through its distinctive tail-light design.
Sources said the suspects have repeatedly changed routes and driven in circles to mislead investigators and make tracking more difficult. The stolen SUV was later spotted on CCTV cameras installed on the Atal Setu. However, investigators discovered that the vehicle's number plate had been changed by then. Further scrutiny revealed that the registration number displayed on the toll cameras did not match any valid vehicle registration records.
The incident has attracted attention because the theft occurred in the same residential building where Congress MLA Amin Patel resides. The case has also raised concerns among residents of Mumbai's high-rise buildings, many of which use stack parking or parking tower systems that require an extra set of vehicle keys to be kept with security personnel. The incident has sparked debate over the safety and practicality of this common arrangement. Police are continuing their investigation and are analysing technical evidence and CCTV footage to identify the culprits and recover the stolen vehicle.
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