The Vakola police have arrested a gang of robbers for a series of house break-ins. With the arrest of Rakesh Kharatmol, 40, Rohit Rathod, 26, and Ramjan Ali aka Karamat Ali, 42, the police claim to have solved at least three cases and recovered jewellery and cash totalling to Rs 8.35 lakh. All three have 30-35 cases of house break-ins registered against them at different police stations across the city, including Khar and Bandra.
The police said Ali had an eyesight problem and could not see properly during night, which is why the gang robbed households during the day. The gang generally targeted slum areas, the police added.
In the first and second week of August, at least three daylight robberies were reported from Vakola. Looking at the modus operandi of the crimes, the police suspected it to be the handiwork of three accused notorious for daylight house break-ins in the western suburbs.
Recently, the detection officer of Vakola police station, police inspector Nitin Savane, and police constable Tanaji Patil, received information about Kharatmol and nabbed him from Dinkar Patel Garden, Santacruz. He confessed to his role in the break-ins. He also led the cops to Rathod and Ali, who were nabbed subsequently.