Look-out for Virar 'tunnel' robbers arrested

MUMBAI: A call centre driver was arrested on Thursday by the Kashimira unit of the crime branch for acting as a look-out for five men who tunneled into and looted a Virar (east) jewellery shop in August last year. By digging an underground tunnel to gain entry into the shop who dug an underground passage to rob a jewellery shop at Virar (east) in August last year.
All the men involved in the robbery were arrested last week. They had been preparing to target a Nalasopara jeweler.
On January 11, crime branch officers on duty at Nagindas Pada in Nalasopara (east) found Anant alias Sunny Chavan (22) speaking on his cell phone on a road at around 4.15 am. When they questioned him, Chavan confessed he was acting as a look-out for the five men who were digging a tunnel to gain entry into the Mangal Jewellers shop at Nagindas Pada.
On questioning him, the police found that he was communicating with five men who were digging a passage to gain entry into Mangal Jewellers at Nagindas Pada.
Chavan told the police that the gang had also robbed Siddnath Jewellers at Narangi Road near Makwana Complex in Virar (east) on August 26, 2010 using the same modus operandi. The floor tiles of the shop were broken and beneath it was a tunnel. The thieves had stolen silver jewellery and articles worth Rs 65,000. However, by the time they tried to open the cabinet containing gold jewellery, the alarms went off and they fled.
Chavan, a resident of Chandansar in Virar, was friends with the other accused The other accused, Ajit Solanki (20), Nitin Patil (21), Arun Patel (23), Ashish Singh (26) and Bapu Mudwar (20), roped in Chavan to keep a watch of the shop's surroundings and keep them informed as they dug the tunnel and executed the crime. Chavan was paid Rs 10,000 for the job.
Chavan, a school dropout, agreed to help them as he wanted money for a lavish lifestyle, said senior inspector Y R Bhagwan. class seventh drop out worked as a driver picking up and dropping call centre employees in the night hours. He wanted money to live a lavish lifestyle, said senior inspector of Virar Y R Bhagwan.
They planned to rob the Virar jeweler and involved Chavan in their plan. ll that Chavan had to do was keeping a watch on the surroundings of the shop and inform them on their cell phone, while they carried out the digging work 15 days before committing the crime. Chavan was promised Rs 10,000 for the job.
They failed to get hold of the gold ornaments kept in the cabinet as the alarm bell went off scaring them away. Spilled the beans and the police found that the gang had robbed Siddnath Jewellers at Narangi Road near Makwana Complex in Virar (east) using the same modus operandi on August 26, 2010. The floor tiles of the shop were broken and beneath it was a passage. The thieves had gained entry through the passage and stolen silver jewellery and articles worth Rs 65,000. They failed to get hold of the gold ornaments kept in the cabinet as the alarm bell went off scaring them away.
Chavan, a resident of Chandansar in Virar was friends with the other accused Ajit Solanki (20), Nitin Patil (21), Arun Patel (23), Ashish Singh (26) and Bapu Mudwar (20). They planned to rob the Virar jeweler and involved Chavan in their plan. ll that Chavan had to do was keeping a watch on the surroundings of the shop and inform them on their cell phone, while they carried out the digging work 15 days before committing the crime. Chavan was promised Rs 10,000 for the job.
Even on the night of the robbery, Chavan was standing at a corner of the road, while the men travelled through the passage and gained entry through the floor tiles. After committing the crime, they paid him only Rs 2,000. Chavan, a class seventh drop out worked as a driver picking up and dropping call centre employees in the night hours. He wanted money to live a lavish lifestyle, said senior inspector of Virar Y R Bhagwan.