The Panvel City police arrested two persons and claimed to have solved 10 cases of house break-ins and theft of auto-rickshaws and motorbikes for joy rides.
The police also recovered stolen auto-rickshaws and motorbikes from them. They had committed most of the crime during the lockdown period.
The arrested have been identified as Ashok Utale, 20, an electrician by profession and a resident of Panvel and Abhisekh Prakash Borade, 20, a driver by profession and a resident of Turbhe MIDC.
Based on a tip-off, Utale was arrested from Panvel on July 22 and following his interrogation, Borade was arrested from Turbhe with the help of Turbhe MIDC police.
“They had stolen several vehicles and deserted after fuel exhausted,” said Ajaykumar Landge, senior police inspector from Panvel City police station. He added that they have recovered four auto-rickshaws and four motorbikes from them worth over Rs four lakh.
Police said that they also recovered cigarette and other tobacco products from them that they had stolen. “They also used to break ‘pan and tobacco shops’ to get cigarette and other tobacco products,” said another police official. He added that they have solved 10 crimes after their arrest. Of the 10 crimes, 8 crimes were committed in the jurisdiction of Panvel City police and one each in Kalamboli and Taloja. They were presented before the court and were remanded to police custody till July 30.
