The Cuffe Parade police have arrested a 23-year old man for allegedly stealing property worth Rs31.60lakh from two flats in a Cuffe Parade building in December last year. The accused was apprehended on the basis of suspicion as he had used similar modus-operandi for both break-ins, the police said.
Sonu Bhuvaneshwar Rai, native of Sitamarhi district in Bihar, was nabbed following a complaint by Businessman Dharmen Mehta, 36, a resident of Aatur Terrace.
The police said the owner of the flat that Mehta had taken on rent wanted to carry out some renovation work. Mehta then moved another flat. He was scheduled to shift to the new accommodation on January 5.
"Few days prior to actually moving to the second flat, the Mehta family had shifted almost every belonging from their first flat except a few valuables, which they were supposed to take along with them on January 5," said an officer from Cuffe Parade police station.
He said that on the night of January 4, Mehtas had kept the valuables in a handbag and placed it on a table of their bedroom. "Since the flat was undergoing renovation, they had kept the windows open. Next morning, Mehta's wife realised that the handbag was missing," the officer said.
"Apart from Mehtas', property worth Rs6 lakh had been stolen from another house between December 1 and December 4. On the basis of suspicion, we arrested Rai as he had past criminal record and used similar modus-operandi," said the officer.
Rai is alleged to have stolen 13 sets of diamond studded gold pendants, three sets of diamond studded gold rings, cash Rs60000, two credit cards, one diamond studded gold bracelet, total property worth Rs31.60lakh from two flats.
He has been booked under sections 454 (lurking house-trespass or house breaking in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), 457 (lurking house-trespass or house breaking by night) in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) and 380 (theft in dwelling house) of the Indian Penal Code.
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