MUMBAI: Two history sheeters were arrested by the special task force (STF) of the railway police for looting a senior citizen of jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh on the Malad station overbridge. Their accomplices are yet to be nabbed.
The gang's modus operandi was to crowd around a target to confuse him and snatch his bag within seconds before dispersing.
On February 23, Rajendra Shah, 63, had gone to Mumbadevi to pick up jewellery for his son's upcoming wedding. He packed the jewellery in a rexine pouch and took a local train to return home to Malad. Around 8.35pm, while he was on an FOB in Malad East, there was suddenly a crowd around him and his pouch of jewellery vanished. Shah lodged a complaint with the Borivali GRP post.
On examining CCTV footage of Malad station, the cops identified a history sheeter, Bablu Shaikh, 39, in the crowd. They knew his modus operandi. But Bablu was not available at home. Tapping their network of informants, the cops tracked him and his associate, Naeem Shaikh, to a jeweller's store in Nala Sopara. Shah's jewellery was recovered. Both Bablu and Naeem were staying in Nala Sopara.
Police said Bablu has a lengthy criminal history with cases at LT Marg, Malad, Kapurbavdi, Rabodi, Virar and CST GRP police stations.