Mira-Bhayandar: The crime branch unit (Zone III) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have arrested a 50-year-old thief who had mastered the art of breaking open dickeys of two-wheelers and stealing valuables. The action followed after a spate of thefts were reported from the area.
The thief who has been identified as Samuel Haryl Pereira, 50, moved around in a SUV to identify his targets, especially two wheelers parked outside banks. Pereira had targeted a two-wheeler parked outside a bank in Virar by opening the lock of the dickey with bare hands and escaping with cash amounting ₹1.5 lakh within a matter of few minutes on June 17. The entire sequence of theft was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed near the crime spot. The crime branch unit was asked to conduct parallel investigations into the thefts and nab the culprit.
Police team nabs culprit
A team led by police inspector Pramod Badhakh nabbed Pereira from Nallasopara based on inputs provided by informants supported by electronic surveillance. A resident of Kasarvadavli in Thane, Pereira turned out to be a serial offender who had committed more than 20 thefts in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune. “The accused kept a watch on targets especially those who withdrew huge amounts from banks and struck when the biker stopped enroute.” said Badhakh. Apart from impounding the SUV used in the crime, the police also recovered ₹1.50 lakh from the possession of the accused who has been booked under section 379 of the IPC. Further investigations were on.
