History-sheeter Almeida nabbed from Mumbai

SURAT: The crime branch of city police arrested James Almeida alias Sam Jeffrin Almeida, a wanted notorious criminal, from Mumbai during the investigation of two housebreak-in cases in Surat city and Navsari.
Almeida has 11 serious crimes against him, including murder, firing on police, looting and robbery, while he has also served 12 years in various jails.
Almeida came to Surat on May 4 where he committed two burglaries before escaping to Mumbai in his car, said police.
According to police, when Almeida was serving his jail term in Taloja jail in MCOCA case in 2019, he came in contact with another criminal, Moiddin Kamran Shaikh of Mumbai. Both developed friendship and planned a housebreak-in after they came out of the jail.
“Following this plan, the duo came to Sachin area on May 4 in an Alto car with a duplicate number plate along with another accused Chintu. The trio then went to Yogeshwar Park and Shilalekh Residency in Sachin where they committed a theft worth Rs 3 lakh including cash and ornaments from a house,” cops said.
On their way back to Mumbai, the trio then went to Navsari for another burglary.
“They went to Ornet-5 apartment in Navsari and after breaking the lock of one flat decamped with valuables worth Rs 15 lakh including cash and $500. After the incident, they changed the number plate to the original one before going to Mumbai,” cops said.
According to sources, cops came to know that the accused changed the number plate of their car after committing the two crimes through technical and human surveillance.
“Our housebreak-in detection squad found out that they came in an Alto car. Following this clue, we found a MH-05-EQ-7424 number of an Alto car. Our team went to Mumbai and caught Almeida from Jogeshwari east area with this car,” cops added.
Almeida has committed serious crimes in Maharastra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.