Mumbai: Teen among 4 held for robbing auto, taxi drivers

Mumbai: The Govandi police have arrested four people, including a teen, for allegedly robbing taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers after hiring their vehicles as passengers. Assets worth Rs65,800, including an auto-rickshaw, some mobile phones and Rs2,800 cash, have been recovered from them. Five complaints of similar offences have been received, so far, with the latest one being filed by a rickshaw driver on Dec 22.

The quartet has been identified as Vignesh Nadar, 23, Hemendra Patel, 24, Shanwaz Ansari, 19, and Aditya Premanand, 21. Except Nadar who resides in Matunga, all the others are residents of Navi Mumbai.

Describing their modus operandi, the police said that they used to hire an auto or taxi while pretending to be passengers. After the vehicle reached a less crowded place, they used to threaten the driver to take them to an even isolated spot. There, they snatched all the valuable items like cash, mobile phones and jewellery worn by the driver. In some cases, they even stole the vehicles.

“The complainant was in Kurla's LBS Marg when the suspects hired his auto. After being seated, one of the suspects threatened the driver, asked him to drive to the Sion area and later started attacking him. Eventually, they robbed all his valuables and fled the spot,” said an official.

During the course of investigation, the cops realised that similar offences have been reported earlier at different police stations. Subsequently, they started scanning CCTV footage around the crime spots. After going through visuals from more than 60-65 cameras from Govandi to T-Junction Dharavi and Sion areas, the cops were successful in locating the suspects after which they activated their informant network.

They received a tip-off that two suspects were hiding in Sanpada area of Navi Mumbai. Both of them were pinned down after laying a trap and their arrests led to the whereabouts of their accomplices. They have confessed to their crimes, the police said, adding that they will soon be presented in court.

MODUS OPERANDI

The suspects used to hire an auto or taxi while pretending to be passengers. After the vehicle reached a less crowded place, they used to threaten the driver to take them to an even isolated spot. There, they snatched all the valuable items like cash, mobile phones and jewellery worn by the driver. In some cases, they even stole the vehicles.