Mumbai man who made crores from over 170 break-ins held

Crime branch sleuths have arrested a man allegedly involved in over 170 house break-ins in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Gujarat.

According to the police, Hajidali Mirza Baig has 30 cases registered against him in Mumbai and 120 in Pune. Baig has been wanted in 14 housebreaking cases in past two years.

In March this year, a gang had burgled three flats in a housing society in Uddhav Nagar, Dahisar. The men decamped with cash and ornaments. A case was registered by Dahisar police in this regard. The crime branch, which was doing a parallel probe of these cases arrested Baig on Friday.

Baig had earlier been arrested by Mahim, Ghatkopar, Chembur, Nehru Nagar, Mulund and Tilak Nagar police in housebreaking cases. Baig has been active since 1995. He has committed several thefts in Mumbai, Thane, Thane rural, Pune and Gujarat till 2008.

"Baig had been arrested a few years ago and came out of jail only in 2012. In the past two years, he has committed thefts in Virar, Arnala, Manickpur, MHB, Silvassa and Mani Nagar. He and his associates have made crores of rupees through housebreaking," said a crime branch officer.