MUMBAI: Three sisters-in-law were arrested by the Samta Nagar police for stealing jewellery from a woman's handbag while the latter was commuting in a BEST bus.
Investigators scrutinised footage from at least 50 cameras to find out details of the route they took to escape. The trio was held from Bhandup where they lived.
Anusuya Gaikwad
On September 5, Rohini Akhade, 38, was commuting in a BEST bus from Ghatkopar to Kandivali. She was carrying her handbag on her shoulder. Later, she couldnt spot her 550 gm mangalsutra in her handbag and registered a police complaint.
Cops viewed CCTV footage of the route taken by the bus and found camera grabs of three women getting off at Thakur Complex in Kandivali East. Their movements appeared suspicious. A trail of surveillance footage showed the women travelling in an autorickshaw.
"We located the driver of this auto who said he had dropped the trio at Aarey Colony. It turns out the women had changed autos at Aarey. We looked up some more surveillance footage and found the registration number of the other auto too," said investigating officer Indrajit Patil. The driver took the cops to an area in Bhandup where he had dropped the three women.
The trio, Anusuya Gaikwad, Marakka Gaikwad and Baby Gaikwad, were held on September 16. They told the police that they would target bus or train passengers. Two of the women would push the target while the third discreetly opened her handbag and stole valuables. Police recovered 55 gm of stolen gold worth rs 2.5 lakh from them.
The three accused have a past criminal record and used to operate in JVLR, Powai and Kandivali East.
