Two elderly women have been arrested by the Bhandup Police for stealing gold ornaments from a jewellery shop under the pretext of making a purchase. Police said both women are habitual offenders with six to seven cases already registered against them at various police stations.
The incident took place at 'Love Gold', a jewellery shop owned by Manoj Jain, located in the Konkan Nagar area of Bhandup. Around a month and a half ago, two women had entered the shop, pretending to buy jewellery. They were accompanied by two young children.
Taking advantage of a distracted moment while engaging the jeweller in conversation, the women managed to steal ornaments worth Rs 1.27 lakh from the store and fled the scene. The theft came to light shortly afterward, prompting the shopkeeper to lodge a complaint at the Bhandup Police Station.
Based on CCTV footage, police identified the accused as residents originally from Jalna district, currently residing in the Kalyan area for the past several months. Acting on the tip-off, police laid a trap and apprehended the duo from the Newali Naka area of Kalyan.
The arrested have been identified as Usha Makale (60) and Leelabai Dhokale (62). According to police, several cases are registered against them in Mumbai, Kalyan, Thane, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Investigations are ongoing to determine if the women were involved in any other similar incidents in the city.