Turbhe police arrested four persons and busted a racket that targeted closed industrial units during the lockdown. They were arrested when they committed another crime after the lockdown was eased in September.
Police said that their arrest led to solving the housebreaking of another industrial unit that took place April-May. During the lockdown, most of the industrial units were closed following the central and state government guidelines.
The arrested persons, identified as Ashish Yadav, 22, Ibrar Ahmad Khan, 21, Sunny Singh, 24, and Anil Yadav, 26, are all residents of MIDC in Navi Mumbai. A case was registered against them under section 380 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for theft.
Police said that they trespassed at an industrial unit on the night of September 28 and stole 52 sacks of rubber worth Rs 2,27,500. The police recovered 34 sacks of rubber worth Rs 1,48,750. The remainder was sold.
When the police interrogated them, they revealed another housebreaking at the industrial unit committed in April when there was a complete lockdown and the unit was closed. Police said that they barged in an industrial unit on April 16 night and stole aluminum and other chemicals worth Rs 2,16,210. Later, they sold it to a scrap dealer in the MIDC area. The scrap dealer was identified as Mohammad Nasir Khan. The police recovered stolen items worth Rs 93,210. “We have also seized three vehicles used to commit the crime from them,” said a police official from Turbhe police station.
