Bhayandar: Thanks to a robust network of informers, two notorious thieves landed in the custody of the local crime branch (LCB) unit of the Thane (rural) police. Yash Dongre, 19, was one of the duo that pulled off a robbery at the warehouse of a logistics management company in Bhiwandi and decamped with electronic goods worth more than Rs 40 lakh last week, amid the lockdown.
However, he couldn’t resist bragging about his daredevilry to his friends and that promptly brought the LCB team to his doorstep on Tuesday.
According to police, the break-in was reported from the warehouse located in Wadpa village on April 21. Three expensive television sets and more than 200 high-end mobile phones worth Rs.40.50 lakh was stolen.
The superintendent of police, Dr Shivaji Rathod, deputed the LCB team to conduct parallel investigations under the supervision of additional SP Sanjay Kumar Patil and nab the culprits. '
“Apart from examining footage captured by the CCTV cameras in the vicinity of the crime scene and possible getaway routes, we activated our core informer network.
One of our informers overheard the accused talking to his friends about the heist and alerted police personnel Hanumant Gaikar, following which we zeroed in on Yash and his accomplice, Yogesh Patil” said Senior Police Inspector Vyankat Andhale.
Apart from recovering stolen goods amounting Rs 34.69 lakh, the police team also seized the pick-up jeep used in the crime. Said to be habitual robbers, the accused have been booked under sections 380, 454 and 457 of the IPC. Further investigations are underway.
