Three persons were arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 16,700 in one rupee coins from Dena Bank's Matunga branch in the metropolis, police said Tuesday.

The theft took place in the intervening night of February 1-2 and the arrests were made on Monday, an official said.

The thieves entered the bank through a toilet window and went about the crime after the main accused, identified as Kashinath Vasant Pendharkar, switched off electricity supply, leading to CCTV cameras there going blank, he said.

"Their attempts to enter the bank's strong room was unsuccessful after which they sneaked away with a bag of one rupee coins kept close by," the official said.

A police complaint was lodged the next morning by the bank's branch manager after the theft came to light, he added.

Probe into the case included surveilling several people with past records of theft to find out about criminals with a similar modus operandi, he said.

"We soon zeroed in on Pendharkar, a resident of Navi Mumbai, who was picked up Monday night from Wadala . His questioning led to the recovery of Rs 15,000. He revealed the names of three of his aides in the crime," he said.

"Of the three, Chetan Ghaitadke and Aniket Singh have been arrested while Prasanna Bandre fled with the remaining of the loot," the official said.

A case has been registered under sections 454 (house breaking), 457 (house breaking by night) and 380 (committing theft in any building) of the Indian Penal Code, he said.

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