The Malad Police have arrested a notorious burglar who was involved in a series of thefts across suburban Mumbai. The accused, identified as Ranjit Kumar Upendra Kumar Singh alias Munna, hails from Khagaria district in Bihar and is accused of executing several thefts in Malad, Kandivali, Borivali, and Dindoshi areas.
According to police officials, the accused used to conduct recce during the day and commit thefts later, often targeting areas near railway stations. In a bid to evade CCTV surveillance and police detection, he would change his clothes on railway tracks after committing the crimes.
During the arrest, police recovered stolen property including diamond-studded gold jewellery worth ₹36 lakh, 1 kg of silver, ₹13 lakh in bank deposits, house-breaking tools like cutters and hammers, and a gold-melting machine. The total value of the seized items is estimated at ₹41 lakh. Additionally, it was revealed that the accused had paid ₹10 lakh to purchase land in Bihar and ₹6 lakh in cash for a house in Malvani, both of which have now been seized by the police.
Malad Police had been tracking the accused since March. A month-long investigation, involving scrutiny of around 100 to 150 CCTV footages along railway tracks, led the police to identify the suspect in Malvani. Subsequently, a trap was laid and he was arrested from the area.
With his arrest, police have managed to solve eight theft cases. Authorities are now interrogating the accused to ascertain how many people were involved in the thefts and the exact locations where the crimes were committed.