Surat: In a shocking breach of trust, Athwalines police have arrested four men, including three Amazon delivery boys, for allegedly stealing mobile phones and tablets from customer parcels. The police recovered 11 stolen devices worth Rs2.32 lakh and a tempo valued at Rs60,000, bringing total recoveries to Rs2.92 lakh.
Investigation revealed that the accused exploited their insider positions within the courier chain. They identified parcels containing expensive electronics, opened them during handling and transit, removed the gadgets, and resealed the boxes to avoid detection.
The case surfaced after Rajesh Brij Bihari Agarwal, owner of Current Systems in Nanpura, reported that 14 out of 109 parcels containing mobile phones and tablets shipped via Amazon between April 17 and May 31, 2025, were missing.
Police identified the mastermind as Mohammad Altaf Ghulam Hussain Sheikh (49), a private company employee, who recruited the delivery boys: Vyada Kashinath Mistry (20), Ayush Ranjitbhai Patel (20), and Salman Suleman Sheikh (23). The gang allegedly planned to sell stolen gadgets in the local grey market for quick money.
Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended Altaf Sheikh near Jalaram Danachana, Nanpura, with a bag containing five mobile phones worth Rs 1.01 lakh and the Tata Chhota Hathi tempo. During interrogation, he confessed and named his accomplices, leading to their swift arrests and the recovery of the remaining stolen devices.
An officer from the Athwalines police station said, “The accused were delivery staff — people meant to deliver trust. Instead, they delivered crime.”
