MAPUSA
In a swift interstate operation, the Calangute Police arrested five members of a Maharashtra-based gang within 48 hours of a daring daylight theft in which 16 gold finger rings were stolen from a jewellery shop at Candolim after the accused distracted the shop owner with a carefully executed diversion.
The theft took place on June 26 at Uday Goldsmith Jewellery Shop in Candolim.
Shop owner Uday Shirodkar later lodged a complaint with the Calangute Police stating that a group of unknown persons had stolen the jewellery and fled from the shop.
CCTV footage released by the police reveals how the gang executed the theft with remarkable precision. Two men and two women entered the jewellery shop posing as genuine customers and engaged the owner in prolonged bargaining over jewellery displayed on the counter.
While the jeweller's attention remained fixed on the customers, one of the women quietly lifted a box containing gold finger rings from the display counter.
She then discreetly handed the box to another woman, who swiftly concealed it inside her handbag without arousing suspicion. Moments later, all four casually walked out of the shop together, leaving the owner unaware that the jewellery had already been stolen.
The missing rings were noticed only after the group had left the premises.
Immediately after the offence was registered, Calangute Police formed a dedicated investigation team. Using technical surveillance, detailed analysis of CCTV footage and coordinated field operations, police identified the accused and tracked their movements across State borders.
A police team led by PSI Paresh Sinari proceeded to Raigad district in Maharashtra to trace the suspects.
With the assistance of the Raigad Police, the interstate gang was located and apprehended at a hotel in Lorne village in Raigad district.
The arrested accused have been identified as Pandurang Ganpat Pawar (76), Mangesh Bhau Surve (35), Satish Namdev Shinde (41), Joshna Anand Pawar (65), all residents of Kharnale village in Mahad taluka of Raigad district, and Vimal Rajendra Jadhav (61), a resident of Satara district, Maharashtra.
During the investigation, police recovered 15 of the 16 stolen gold finger rings intact from the possession of the accused.
Efforts are continuing to recover the remaining ring and to ascertain the complete conspiracy as well as the specific role played by each member of the gang.
