Unit two of the Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police arrested a 28-year-old man from Belapur who was involved in more than 20 robbery cases. Other accused involved in the crime was already arrested last week.
Mohammad Shabbir Shaikh, a resident of Panvel was arrested from Belapur on November 23 along with an auto-rickshaw. Police said that Shaikh was changing his location frequently and recently he shifted to Belapur from Mankhurd and started plying auto-rickshaw between Belapur and Ulwe. Police also found a country-made pistol in his possession. Shaikh was involved in over 20 cases of robbery, mostly gold jewelry.
Last week, unit two of the Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police had arrested five persons and claimed to have solved a total of 20 cases of chain snatching that took place in the last one year. The police had also recovered stolen items, mostly gold jewellery worth Rs 20 lakh.
Police said that after the lockdown was eased, there was a rise in chain snatching cases, following which unit two of the crime branch worked on the modus operandi and vehicles used for committing the crime. In addition, the police also took the help of CCTV footage.
Under the guidance of the deputy commissioner of police (crime) BG Shekhar Patil, with the help of Jharkhand and Orrisa police, two main accused identified as Tanvir Mohammad Ibrahim Shaikh alias Deepak, 22, and his accomplice Akhil Sharif Khan, 25, were arrested from a long route train along Jharkhand and Orrisa border. “They were fleeing to Kolkata when we caught them in an express train,” said DCP Patil.
The other accused arrested were identified as Tashruf Shaikh, 24, a resident of Mankhurd, Harun Lala Saiyad, 23, a resident slum near Panvel railway station and Shabnam Shabbir Shaikh, 25, a resident of Panvel. However, the main accused Shaikh who is also the husband of Shabnam, another accused was absconding.
“A total of 20 cases in Vashi, Rabale, NRI, Kamothe, Vashi and Sanpada police station were registered against them for chain snatching and robbery,” said Patil.
A case of robbery and dishonesty for receiving stolen property registered against them at NRI police station under section 392, 411 and 34 of IPC. “Most of the robbery cases solved were committed before the lockdown was imposed,” said Patil.
