Mumbai: Shivaji Park Police have arrested a woman for stealing handbags from shoppers at luxury showrooms in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. The arrested accused, Dipali Rokade, 34, a resident of Kopar, had been in this business for more than three years and may have stolen cash and valuables worth Rs 16 lakh, according to police.
According to police sources, Rokade’s modus operandi was to conduct a recce of shops which would be crowded during ‘peak hours’ (6-9pm) on weekends. After the recce, Rokade would enter the shop, posing as a customer looking for expensive handbags.
She would strategically position herself beside a woman who was completely engrossed in shopping and had forgotten about her bag. Then, Rokade would ask the salesman to show her handbags and seizing an opportune moment, she would slink away with the customer’s purse, said police.
During the recce, Rokade also checked the locations of the CCTV cameras in the store premises and would do her best to ensure her face was hidden, by covering it with her hair or looking down at her mobile phone to avoid her image being captured and thus evaded arrest. However, Rokade’s luck ran out on January 13, when she went to Kiaara Garments at N C Kelkar Road in Dadar (W).
Pretending to shop for clothes, she strategically picked up another customer’s handbag and left the showroom. Minutes later, when the victim saw her bag was missing, she raised an alarm. Her bag contained Rs10000 in cash and jewellery valued at Rs 22,000. The store authorities checked the CCTV footage and spotted Rokade leaving with the bag.
A case of theft was registered at Shivaji Park police station and a search operation was initiated. Investigations revealed that Rokade had used a similar modus operandi at various high-end showrooms in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai as well. After a three-month-long search, police tracked her down to her residence in Kopar on Wednesday and arrested her.
