Pune: Thief Targeting Tourists’ Vehicles Nabbed By Lonavala Police, Valuables Worth Rs 12 Lakh Recovered

Mubarak Ansari

Lonavala, 20th August 2023: The Lonavala police have demonstrated remarkable efficiency by apprehending a thief responsible for smashing windows of vehicles belonging to tourists within a span of three hours.

The operation led to the recovery of stolen items including 6 mobile phones, 5 purses, watches, and a motorbike, collectively worth around Rs 12 lakhs. The perpetrator had targeted visitors to the Karla Bhaje area, a popular tourist destination located along the Old Pune Mumbai Highway.

The detained suspect has been identified as Akhil Salim Vora, a 32-year-old resident of Nutan Nagar near Amina Manjil, Anand, Gujarat.

On August 19, incidents of vehicle break-ins were reported in the Bhaje and Manshakti Kendra Varsoli area. Tourists’ four-wheeler vehicles had their windows smashed, and valuable items including cash and mobile phones were pilfered from their bags. Two complaints were lodged at the Lonavala Rural Police Station.

In response, a specialized team led by Police Sub-Inspector Bharat Bhosale, with Police Constable Nitesh Kawde and Police Naik Ganesh Holkar, was swiftly dispatched under the guidance of Assistant Superintendent of Police (Lonavala) Satyasai Karthik and Police Inspector Kishore Dhumal.

Close scrutiny of CCTV footage revealed a suspect aged between 30 and 35 years, breaking into vehicles and making off with the stolen items. The police immediately launched an intensive search operation in areas including Varsoli, Karla, Malvali, Bhaje, and Lohgad. Their persistence paid off as they noticed an individual behaving suspiciously. Upon inspection, the suspect was found to be in possession of 6 mobile phones, 5 purses, 2 bags, 2 power banks, 2 watches, and Rs 12 lakhs in cash.

During the interrogation, the accused admitted to breaking the windows of several vehicles and stealing their contents. Notably, similar crimes have been reported in the jurisdiction of Lonavala City and Kamshet Police Station. Acting on directives from ASP Satyasai Karthik, officers from multiple police stations collaborated effectively, leading to the prompt apprehension of the perpetrator by the Lonavla Rural Police.

This commendable operation was conducted under the guidance of Superintendent of Police (Pune rural) Ankit Goyal, Additional Superintendent of Police Mitesh Ghatte, Assistant Superintendent of Police Satyasai Karthik, Senior Police Inspector Kishore Dhumal, Sub-Inspector Bharat Bhosale, ASI Yuvraj Bansode, Police Head Constable Nitesh Kawde, Police Naik Ganesh Holkar, Police Constable Balkrishna Bhoir, and Police Constable Vijaybhau Mundhe.

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