Jewellery shop, office robbers held by cops

MUMBAI: Crime detection o f f i c i a l s from Zone VI squad ( e a s t e r n suburbs) have busted a gang of robbers that targeted jewellery shops and offices across the city.
According to the police, these robbers were active since the past decade and have revealed during interrogation that it is difficult for them to quit robbery.
DCP (Zone VI) Dilip Sawant said, "The robbers are history-sheeters and they were caught and punished in many robbery cases in several police stations.But after completing their jail terms, they go back to committing robberies. They are reluctant to leave the profession because they think it is difficult for them to take up a new career at this juncture .'' In the last one month, the gang committed robberies at Bhayander, Chembur, Kandivli and Vakola.
The arrested persons have been identified as kingpin Rakesh Gupta alias Upadhay (36), Ramchandra Tewar alias David Tewar (30), Babu Tambi (25), Chandran Tewar (36) and Vijay Kavale (27)-all residents of Dharavi. Acting on a tip-off , the police laid a trap at Sainik Garden in Chembur on Sunday evening where the gang was supposed to commit a robbery. The police recovered three choppers and two country-made revolvers that were kept in a Maruti 800 car they had stolen.
Inspector Balasaheb Pachundkar of Chembur police said, "Before committing a robbery, the gang's kingpin Gupta would survey shops in isolated areas. They would then rob four-wheelers to use it to commit robbery.'' Pachundkar said the gang has not injured or killed anyone. "Their main target was cash and valuables that they spent on buying alcohol and on women in dance bars,'' he said.