Autorickshaw drivers held for stealing donation boxes from suburban temples

MUMBAI: Three autorickshaw drivers were arrested by the Malad police for stealing donation boxes from temples. The accused were caught during a combing operation early on Friday. They were identified as Murtuza Ali Aktar, Abdul Karim Ahmed Shaikh and Mubarak Abdul Shaikh.
"The accused were caught near Natraj Market on the SV Road while they were travelling from Kandivali to Goregaon around 6 am. Our personnel immediately identified Murtuza as he had been involved in two cases of donation box thefts earlier__ at the Hanuman temple on the Link Road where Rs 18000 in cash was stolen and at the Ganpati temple at Chincholi Bunder," said a police officer.
Burglary tools such as screwdrivers and crowbars were seized from the accused. On interrogation, they admitted to having stolen a donation box from the Sai temple at Kandivali an hour before they were apprehended on Friday. The box contained Rs 16000 in loose change. The police also suspect the trio's involvement in two cases at Matunga.
Explaining the modus operandi used, police officers said the accused would survey temples during the daytime while driving their autorickshaws. They would strike in the early hours while the priest was asleep. The gang would yank off the donation box and carry it along. A local court has remanded them to police custody till August 17.
The accused-trio have also been involved in petty thefts in the past.