Mumbai Crime: Serial Chain Snatcher Held for Robbing Women Outside Supermarket Outlets

Mumbai Crime: After weeks of investigation, police has arrested an habitual offender for stealing women’s purses and valuables from busy supermarkets in Mira Road on Saturday. A 53-year-old habitual offender is  identified as Bapi Ratan Bhattacharya.  According to Mid Day reports, Bhattacharya took advantage of the busy and crowded conditions in shopping areas, particularly at popular D Mart stores. He would secretly steal purses and bags from shopping carts, often targeting women who were distracted while shopping.

Further, investigation found that Bhattacharya was connected to over 10 similar thefts at different supermarket locations in Mumbai and the surrounding region. Crime came to light after a  Dahisar West resident filed a complaint stating her purse got stolen while she was shopping with her toddler in D Mart, Kandarpada. Stolen bag contained cash, ATM cards, and important documents. Within minutes, ₹20,000 was withdrawn from her husband’s account using a stolen card.

Base on complaint, police went through CCTV Footage to trace Bhattacharya’s movements. Accused was later arrested from Mira Road. During interrogation, he confessed to multiple thefts carried out in a similar fashion across several D Mart branches. Investigation was led by DCP Sandeep Jadhav (Zone XI), Senior Inspector Harish Gavli, and PSI Nilesh Patil. According to reports, More than 1o theft cases have been registered against Bhattacharya across Mumbai and nearby police stations. 

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His name surfaces first in every supermarket theft report. His arrest led to the resolution of two pending cases. Booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act, further investigation is underway to uncover additional offenses and accomplices.