Pune: The Vishrambaug police have busted an interstate gang of habitual burglars who allegedly targeted houses at night and frequently changed their locations to evade arrest. Police have arrested four accused and recovered gold and silver jewellery worth approximately ₹37 lakh. The arrests have helped the police solve nine burglary cases in Pune.
The arrested accused have been identified as Shankarsing alias Kunalsing Jitendrasing Juni (27), a resident of Ramtekdi, Hadapsar; Ranbirsing Dhansing Bawri Shikligar (26), from Ektanagar, Vadodara, Gujarat; Akshaysing alias Akshay Birusing Juni (22), from Birajdar Nagar, Hadapsar; and Sonusingh Shakhasingh Sikhligar alias Tilpitiya (22), from Ektanagar, Vadodara, Gujarat.
According to the police, the accused were involved in six cases registered under the jurisdiction of Vishrambaug police, two cases in Kalepadal and one case in the Dattawadi area, taking the total number of cases solved to nine.
Shankarsing Juni was also wanted for the past six months in three cases registered at Bharati Vidyapeeth, Ambegaon and Market Yard police stations. Police said he used to conceal his identity by wearing a wig and a mask. A video of him using this disguise had also gone viral on social media.
The investigation began after a burglary was reported within the Vishrambaug police station limits. The house had allegedly been broken into during the night. While investigating the case, police constable Nitin Mundhe received information from an informer that some suspects linked to the crime were moving around the Undri-Pisoli area.
Following instructions from Senior Police Inspector Navnath Jagtap, a team led by Assistant Police Inspector Umesh Karke began searching the area. However, the suspects, being habitual offenders, kept changing their locations, making it difficult for the police to track them.
The police later received another tip-off that the suspects were travelling in a vehicle along the hill road in the Undri-Pisoli area. Acting swiftly on the information, the police surrounded the vehicle from all sides and detained all four suspects.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to their involvement in nine burglary cases in Pune city. Police subsequently recovered gold and silver jewellery worth ₹37 lakh from their possession.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Bansode, Deputy Commissioner of Police Krushikesh Rawale, Assistant Commissioner of Police Anuja Deshmane, Senior Police Inspector Navnath Jagtap and Police Inspector Vikas Bhingardive.
The investigation team included Assistant Police Inspector Umesh Karke, Police Sub-Inspector Mehboob Mokashi and police personnel Sachin Kadam, Nitin Mundhe, Amol Bhosale, Mahesh Kadam, Shashikant Darekar, Shailesh Surve, Sachin Ahivale, Kailas Dukre, Zakir Maniyar, Anis Shaikh, Shiva Gaikwad, Arjun Thorat, Sagar More, Firoz Inamdar and Nitin Babar.
