Thane, October 15, 2026: In a major breakthrough, the Crime Branch Unit-4 (Ulhasnagar) of the Thane Police has arrested a habitual criminal who allegedly targeted senior citizens by posing as an old acquaintance.
With this arrest, the police have solved 17 cases registered across various police stations in Zones 3 and 4 under the Thane Police Commissionerate. The police recovered 212 grams of stolen gold jewellery valued at Rs 24.24 lakh.
Modus Operandi And Arrest
The accused, identified as Dinesh Babu Mankar, 37, a resident of Mhape, Navi Mumbai, would approach senior citizens under the guise of being an old friend or acquaintance. After gaining their trust, he would trick them into removing their gold ornaments and handing over cash before fleeing the scene.
Acting on technical intelligence and tips gathered by Police Naik Ganesh Gavde during a parallel investigation, the police team tracked down Mankar and arrested him in Mhape on October 5, 2024.
Further investigations revealed that Mankar was also a wanted accused in two cases registered at Ghatkopar Police Station in 2014. Additionally, two alleged accomplices in the network — Sudesh alias Babu Tanaji Mahadik, 55, a resident of Chiplun, Ratnagiri, and Babu Irappa Manchekar, 68, a resident of Owale, Panvel — have been identified and named in the case.
Extensive Criminal Record
The police said Mankar is a habitual offender with a history of 29 serious criminal cases registered against him, including 20 cases in Mumbai, one in Navi Mumbai, two in Mira-Bhayandar and six in Thane City.
His alleged past offences include armed robbery, theft, extortion, cheating and robbery, as well as cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police Appeal To Citizens
Warning the public against such deceptive tactics, Thane Police officials urged citizens to exercise caution.
“We strongly appeal to senior citizens and all residents to remain vigilant. If an unfamiliar person approaches you claiming to be an old friend or relative, do not fall for their friendly talk or hand over your gold jewellery or cash. If you notice any suspicious activity or individuals, please contact the nearest police station immediately,” the Thane City Police said.
Team Behind The Operation
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Thane City Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre, Joint Police Commissioner Dr Dnyaneshwar Chavan, Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Punjabrao Ugale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amar Singh Jadhav, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shekhar Bagde and Senior Police Inspector Rajesh Gajjal of Crime Branch Unit-4.
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The team included Assistant Police Inspector Ashok Pawar, Police Sub-Inspectors Ganesh Gavde and Rajendra Thore, along with police personnel Mangesh Jadhav, Amar Kadam, Ashok Dhosye, Satish Sapkale, Nilesh Banjari, Chandrakant Sawant, Prakash Patil, Sanjay Shemde and police driver Abhinath Pawar.
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