Executive thief, four accomplices arrested in Mumbai

The Mumbai crime branch on Monday arrested five members of a gang that specialised in house break-ins. Police said one of the gang members used to wear executive clothes and target houses in plush areas of the city.

After getting inside a house, he would call his associates and clean the entire house in 10 minutes.

The accused are Nilesh Choughule, Shyam Sarode, Shivam Das, Sameer Khan, and Navnath Bhoite.

Nisar Tamboli, deputy commissioner of police, detection, said they received information by the Unit II of the crime branch that a gang of criminals would arrive at Kalbadevi Road to rob a jewellery shop on Monday evening. The police then laid a trap and nabbed them.

Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, Tamboli said Chougule, who formed the gang two years ago, would dress as an executive officer and visit residential areas during the day to find locked houses.

“After finding his target, he would break open the house with the weapons he carried in a suitcase. After that he would call his four associates waiting nearby. They would then enter and decamp with valuables,” he added.

Senior inspector Dinesh Ahire said: “They have carried out at least 10 robberies in various places in the city.”