Pune rural police have arrested four people in connection with four alleged burglaries in the Narayangaon and Otur areas of Junnar taluka, recovering valuables worth around Rs 38.5 lakh, police said on October 29. Investigators said the gang allegedly used walkie-talkies instead of mobile phones to communicate and avoid police surveillance.
The arrested accused have been identified as Wasim Munir Pathan, 29, Adnan Yunus Pathan, 26, and Sonu alias Mohammed Sharif Shaikh, 40. All three are residents of Pimpalgaon near Lasalgaon in Nashik district. Sagar Ashok Shinde, 30, has also been arrested for allegedly purchasing the stolen jewellery, according to the police.
The operation was conducted by the local crime branch and Otur police. Investigators examined CCTV footage and technical evidence after the burglaries were reported in the Junnar region. Police scrutinised footage from around 150 cameras along the route between Otur and Nashik, eventually identifying a suspicious car linked to the case.
Further investigation allegedly established that the vehicle belonged to Sonu Shaikh. Police traced and detained him in Wadala, Nashik, before identifying and arresting the other suspects, the report said. The use of walkie-talkies reportedly made it more difficult for investigators to track the accused through conventional mobile-phone surveillance.
The arrests connect areas in Pune district with suspects based in Nashik district, highlighting the inter-district nature of the alleged burglary network. Police said the investigation is examining the four reported burglaries and the route through which the stolen jewellery was allegedly moved and sold.
Local Crime Branch inspector Pramod Kshirsagar and assistant police inspector Mahadev Shelar provided details of the operation. The recovered valuables are estimated at around Rs 38.5 lakh, although the report did not provide a separate item-wise breakdown of the seizure.
The accused remain alleged offenders, and the investigation into the burglaries, the disposal of the stolen jewellery and the roles of those arrested is continuing, police said.
