Notorious chain-snatcher rebuilt gang of addicts, minors after bail

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Crime branch officers arrested Vicky alias Helmet Gautam Sonkambale (34, Mukundwadi), a repeat offender who revived his gang of drug addicts and minors soon after securing bail a month ago.

The team also detained a minor, while Vicky’s associate Amit alias Babua Ramnayan Chaudhary (28, Rajnagar) remains absconding. The gang targeted women in Satara. On Monday around 4 pm, two men on a bike snatched a 1.5 tola mangalsutra from Shakuntala Kumawat near Bajaj Hospital. Locals chased them, but when the bike’s clutch wire snapped, the duo fled on foot, leaving the bike behind. Acting under police inspector Gajanan Kalyankar’s guidance, PSI Pravin Wagh and his team traced the bike to a Buldhana resident, who said he had handed it to Syed Mateen Vicky Helmet’s friend. The team then picked up the minor, who named Vicky, Babua and Mateen.

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Failed Waluj attempt; Satara hit succeeds

The minor told police that on November 24, the trio was consuming drugs in Rajnagar when Vicky instructed them to steal gold to raise money for his daughter’s birthday and for drugs. Their first attempt in Waluj failed because the chain was artificial. They then moved to Satara, where they managed to snatch the mangalsutra. Vicky later sold the stolen gold to goldsmith Jayesh Dilip Soni of Bharat Jewellers, Mukundwadi. Police set up a trap, arrested Vicky from Rajnagar, and detained Soni. The stolen chain was recovered from the shop.

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Over 20 cases; city-wide network

Vicky Helmet has more than 20 criminal cases registered against him. Despite being out on bail only since October, he has been running multiple gangs of drug addicts and minors in Mukundwadi and Rajnagar. Babua also has several cases pending. Inspector Kalyankar said more offences across the city are likely to surface as the investigation progresses.