Two criminals held for burglaries, vehicle thefts
Asseem Shaikh | TNN | Feb 8, 2019, 10:55 IST
A police team arrested the two criminals at Mantri market in Hadapsar on Thursday. PUNE: Two criminals were arrested at Mantri market in Hadapsar on Thursday for a series of burglaries and vehicle thefts over the past two months.
The two, residing in the pilgrim town of Alandi, would attend “satsang” throughout the week and commit the thefts and burglaries during weekends.
The duo stole six vehicles and valuables from as many as 10 houses over the last two months. They had planned to commit a few more offences for making a fast buck, but the plan was foiled after a police team arrested them at Mantri market following a tip-off.
“We questioned Sagar Dattatraya Bhalerao (21) from Manjri and Swapnil Namdeo Girme (24) from Hadapsar and recovered gold ornaments weighing 131g, five motorcycles, 10 smartphones, two LCD TVs, a camera and Rs 26,000 in cash. The total booty was worth around Rs 11 lakh. They had amassed these items from 20 different cases of burglaries, vehicle thefts and others,” said deputy commissioner of police (zone V) Prakash Gaikwad.
He added, “Bhalerao and Girme were arrested by the Hadapsar police for the first time in 2007 in eight cases. Preventive action was taken against them and their family members later sent them to attend satsangs at the pilgrim town for rehabilitating them. They had then remained aloof from Pune city for several months.”
“In 2019, a few incidents of burglaries and vehicle thefts were reported in Hadapsar area, a detection team led by sub-inspector Mangesh Bhange, under the guidance of assistant commissioner of police (Hadapsar division) Sunil Deshmukh and senior inspector Sunil Tambe, studied the pattern of crimes and identified Bhalerao and Girme in the series of crimes on the basis of their modus operandi.
“For instance, they would target houses on finding the doors open. The police then collected intelligence information and traced them to Alandi and started monitoring their movements for few days,” he said.
Tambe said, “Investigations revealed that they were using stolen vehicles for conducting recce at targeted places and committed crime during night time. If they were intercepted by the police during nakabandi operations, they would display identity cards to show that they were members of a satsang group so that no one suspected their activities.”
“Bhange and his team members, Nitin Munde, Pratap Gaikwad Vinod Shivle and Akbar Shaikh, took the duo into custody when they were at Mantri market for selling stolen gold ornaments. They failed to offer an explanation as to how they came in possession of the ornaments,” Tambe said.
“During questioning, they admitted to their involvement in a series of crimes. Girme is also wanted in a case of planning a dacoity which was registered at Hadapsar police in 2018. The suspects are illiterate and their parents wanted to rehabilitated them, but they refused to give up crime,” he added.
The two, residing in the pilgrim town of Alandi, would attend “satsang” throughout the week and commit the thefts and burglaries during weekends.
The duo stole six vehicles and valuables from as many as 10 houses over the last two months. They had planned to commit a few more offences for making a fast buck, but the plan was foiled after a police team arrested them at Mantri market following a tip-off.
“We questioned Sagar Dattatraya Bhalerao (21) from Manjri and Swapnil Namdeo Girme (24) from Hadapsar and recovered gold ornaments weighing 131g, five motorcycles, 10 smartphones, two LCD TVs, a camera and Rs 26,000 in cash. The total booty was worth around Rs 11 lakh. They had amassed these items from 20 different cases of burglaries, vehicle thefts and others,” said deputy commissioner of police (zone V) Prakash Gaikwad.
He added, “Bhalerao and Girme were arrested by the Hadapsar police for the first time in 2007 in eight cases. Preventive action was taken against them and their family members later sent them to attend satsangs at the pilgrim town for rehabilitating them. They had then remained aloof from Pune city for several months.”
“In 2019, a few incidents of burglaries and vehicle thefts were reported in Hadapsar area, a detection team led by sub-inspector Mangesh Bhange, under the guidance of assistant commissioner of police (Hadapsar division) Sunil Deshmukh and senior inspector Sunil Tambe, studied the pattern of crimes and identified Bhalerao and Girme in the series of crimes on the basis of their modus operandi.
“For instance, they would target houses on finding the doors open. The police then collected intelligence information and traced them to Alandi and started monitoring their movements for few days,” he said.
Tambe said, “Investigations revealed that they were using stolen vehicles for conducting recce at targeted places and committed crime during night time. If they were intercepted by the police during nakabandi operations, they would display identity cards to show that they were members of a satsang group so that no one suspected their activities.”
“Bhange and his team members, Nitin Munde, Pratap Gaikwad Vinod Shivle and Akbar Shaikh, took the duo into custody when they were at Mantri market for selling stolen gold ornaments. They failed to offer an explanation as to how they came in possession of the ornaments,” Tambe said.
“During questioning, they admitted to their involvement in a series of crimes. Girme is also wanted in a case of planning a dacoity which was registered at Hadapsar police in 2018. The suspects are illiterate and their parents wanted to rehabilitated them, but they refused to give up crime,” he added.
more from times of india Cities
LATEST VIDEOS
All Comments ()+^ Back to Top
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.
HIDE