Porsche Parked at Phoenix Mall, Window Smashed in Seconds: Pune Police Arrest 3 Thieves from Tamil Nadu
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Viman Nagar, 14th July 2026: The officials from the Vimantal Police under the Pune City Police Commissionerate have busted a notorious inter-state gang specializing in stealing valuables from cars by breaking their windows. Three key members of the gang, hailing from Tamil Nadu, have been arrested.
The operation has led to the recovery of stolen cash, a makeshift catapult-like mechanism used to shatter glass silently, and the resolution of multiple theft cases across the state.
The incident that triggered the investigation took place on July 4, 2026. The complainant had parked their luxury Porsche car in the parking lot of Phoenix Mall on Pune-Nagar Road. While the vehicle was parked, unidentified thieves broke the front-left window glass and stole a bag containing a high-end Samsung Galaxy Z Fold mobile phone and ₹40,000 in cash.
Following the complainant’s report, a case was registered at the Vimantal Police Station under First Information Report (FIR) No. 324/2026 under Sections 303(2) (theft) and 324 (mischief causing damage) of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Recognizing the gravity of the crime involving a luxury car, Senior Police Inspector Govind Jadhav of Vimantal Police Station immediately issued directives to the station’s dedicated investigation team to track down and apprehend the suspects. Acting swiftly on these orders, Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Nitin Rathod, who serves as the In-charge of the Detection Branch (DB), along with his team members, began reviewing CCTV footage from the crime scene and adjacent areas. To widen the net, photos of the suspects spotted in the CCTV footage were actively circulated on various social media groups.
The digital surveillance paid off on July 9, 2026, when PSI Nitin Rathod received a crucial tip-off indicating that the suspects were spotted near the Kharadi Bypass. Taking immediate action, a heavily prepared police team rushed to the location and tactfully cordoned off the area to detain three suspects.
Upon detailed interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement and were identified as Raja Arumugam (47), a resident of Gandhinagar, Ramjinasar Post, Taluka Srirangapuram, Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu; Lakshmanan S. Santhakumar A. (40), a resident of Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu; and Muthulingam Paramanand Lingam (40), a resident of Perambur Agraharam, Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.
During the body search and seizure, the police recovered ₹50,000 in cash, along with a specialized, makeshift glass-shattering kit consisting of a ladies’ hair clip (bobby pin), rubber bands, and steel pellets/balls.
Investigations revealed that the gang used these items as a silent, high-velocity catapult to shatter car window panes without triggering alarms or making loud noises. Furthermore, during intense questioning, the accused confessed to carrying out similar car break-ins in other areas of Pune, including Kharadi and Yerawada, as well as in Latur district.
This operation was executed under the leadership and direction of Additional Commissioner of Police (East Regional Division) Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 7) Abinash Kumar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kharadi Division) Sunil Dorge.
The field operation was guided by Senior Police Inspector Govind Jadhav and Police Inspector (Crime) Mahesh Bolke. The arrest and recovery team comprised Police Sub-Inspectors Nitin Rathod and Dilip Palve, along with police personnel Yogesh Thopte, Rahul Joshi, Hariprasad Punde, Prashant Sutar, Rupesh Pisal, Lalu Karhe, Sachin Manjare, Ambadas Chavan, Digambar Gore, Ankush Jogdande, and Rajiv Tompe.
Following the arrests, the suspects have been remanded to police custody. Police Sub-Inspector Harshal Ghagre is currently conducting further investigation to check if the gang is linked to other unsolved car break-ins across Maharashtra.
