Cash-strapped criminal goes on burglary spree, arrested

PUNE: No one is immune to cash crunch, not even burglars.

After spending over three years in

Yerawada prison

,

Vikram Thakur

was in desperate need of some cash. To overcome the problem, Thakur broke into at least five houses in

Pimpri Chinchwad area

within a span of 20 days and made away with booty worth about Rs 8 lakh.

But before Thakur could burgle a few more houses and escape to his native place in Solapur district, the Pimpri police team led by senior inspector Vivek Mugalikar nabbed him at

Moshi toll plaza

on January 20 on a tip-off. The police have recovered 290 gram gold ornaments, a cellphone and tablet all collectively worth Rs8.23 lakh.

On January 10, when Arjun Dhumal (54) of Kalbhor Nagar in Chinchwad returned home, he found his house was burgled and gold ornaments, cash and a cell phone collectively worth Rs 2.60 lakh were missing.

After Dhumal lodged the complaint, the Pimpri police swung into action. Police sub-inspector Shriniwas Kamuni got a tip-off that Thakur was involved in the burglary at Kalbhor Nagar. "We got the information that he would be coming near Moshi toll plaza on January 20," Mugalikar said.

A police team was rushed to the spot. When Thakur saw the police team, he started to run away. "Our team nabbed him after a hot chase. We found a cellphone on him, which we found was stolen from Dhumal's house in Kalbhornagar," Mugalikar said.

Mugalikar said that Thakur was brought to the police station for questioning. "During sustained interrogation, Thakur admitted his involvement in five burglaries, including three in Pimpri Chinchwad area and two in Wakad," Mugalikar said

Sub-inspector Harish Mane told TOI that Thakur has 32 cases, including burglaries, thefts and robberies, registered against him. About four years ago, Thakur was arrested in a robbery and murder case in Chakan. He was in prison for about three-and-half-years. "Thakur was released from the jail on December 29," Mane said.