Turbhe police arrested four persons and busted a racket that targeted closed industrial units during the lockdown which was enforced due to the coronavirus pandemic. They were arrested when they committed another crime after easing of the lockdown in September.
Police said that their arrest led to the solving of another crime which took place April-May at an industrial unit.
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 IPC for theft.
Police said that they trespassed at an industrial unit on the night of September 28 and stolen 52 sacks of rubber worth Rs 2,27,500. The police recovered 34 sacks of rubber worth Rs 1,48,750 and the remaining was sold by the accused.
When police interrogated them, they revealed another housebreaking at the industrial unit committed during April when there was a complete lockdown and the unit was closed.
Police said that they barged at an industrial unit on the night of April 16 and stole aluminium and other chemicals worth Rs 2,16,210. Later they sold it to a scrap dealer in the MIDC area. The scrape dealer was identified as Mohammad Nasir Khan. Police has 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.
