This story is from May 18, 2016

Cordless camera helps cops solve Rs41L Charkop burglary

A cordless camera installed in the elevator of a Charkop society helped the police with leads on a gang of burglars after they had stolen the digital video recorder of the building’s CCTV system.
Cordless camera helps cops solve Rs41L Charkop burglary
Mumbai: A cordless camera installed in the elevator of a Charkop society helped the police with leads on a gang of burglars after they had stolen the digital video recorder of the building’s CCTV system. The gang struck at a doctor’s flat in the Charkop society and decamped with cash and jewellery worth Rs 41 lakh. Two Nepalis have been arrested so far. The society watchman, also a Nepali, is on the run.
Police teams are camping near the Indo-Nepal border after receiving a tip-off that the watchman may return to his hometown.
Dr Sudhir Shetty, who resides in Charkop’s Sector 3, had gone to Mahabaleshwar with his wife and daughter on a vacation earlier this month. On the morning of May 9, the society watchman, Deepak, could not be spotted. Residents noticed that the digital video recorder (DVR) of the building’s CCTV system had disappeared. After checking individual flats, residents found Shetty’s apartment had been ransacked. They called up Shetty, who rushed back to Mumbai with his family.
“As Deepak had been hired a week ago, the society did not have his photograph, phone number or address. We then stumbled upon a cordless camera installed in the elevator. It had captured a man using the elevator around 1.30am on May 9, carrying tools used for burglary,” said investigating officer Pradeep Raorane. The police made copies of the images captured in the elevator and the man was later identified as Sher Bahadur Sahi.
Meanwhile, the police learnt that Deepak had given his cellphone for repairs to a local store and was yet to pick it up. The cellphone was examined and Deepak’s contacts were questioned. Investigations revealed that Deepak had been hired based on the reference of a former watchman, Veeru Singh Bika, who was also missing. Bika had worked at the society for two years and had claimed that Deepak was his brother.
The Mumbai Police’s property cell picked up Bika from Pune after monitoring his movements. The Charkop police nabbed Sahi from Foras Road, a red-light area he used to frequent. Around 50gm of gold, worth Rs 1.5 lakh, has been recovered. “Deepak was aware that the Shettys were holidaying and their flat was unoccupied. He passed the information to his associates,” an official said. The police have not ruled out the involvement of more persons in the crime.
author
About the Author
Nitasha Natu

Nitasha Natu is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India and writes on gender, human rights, road safety and law enforcement. She has received the Laadli Media & Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity in 2021. She tweets @nnatuTOI

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA