A husband-wife duo from Kerala—Athulya Milan Vathiyat (21) and Milan Baiju Vathiyat (24)—infamously dubbed the modern-day ‘Bunty and Babli’, were arrested by Khar Police for allegedly stealing Rs53,500 from a clothing showroom on Linking Road, Khar West, Mumbai. The theft, executed on May 1, was part of a long string of similar distraction-based heists by the pair across India.
According to investigators, the woman, Athulya, distracted the store staff under the pretense of shopping, while Milan slipped behind the counter and stole the cash. The duo had recently been released from jail by Trivandrum City Police in September 2024 and resumed their crime spree across several Indian cities.
“They typically target clothing and general stores early in the morning when staffing is minimal,” a police official explained. “They enter, the woman engages staff with bogus inquiries and purchases, and the man quietly raids the cash counter.”
The Khar Police Station, led by Senior Inspector Sanjeev Dhumal, quickly launched a probe after the incident. A special investigation team—comprising PSI Hanmant Kumbhare and constables Dinesh Shirke, Kundan Kadam, Mahesh Lahamge, Vishal Bhamre, Sumit Ahivale, and Manoj Handage—reviewed CCTV footage and circulated images across internal networks and shopping malls in Mumbai and nearby districts.
Their diligence paid off when, on May 7, the couple was spotted at Oberoi Mall in Goregaon. Officers rushed to the scene and arrested them on the spot.
The investigation revealed a calculated effort by the couple to avoid detection. They frequently changed SIM cards and mobile phones, destroyed digital footprints, and traveled using hired taxis. In some cases, they even convinced drivers to provide Aadhaar cards, which were used to obtain temporary SIM cards later discarded after use.
With a criminal record spanning over 50 theft cases, the couple has allegedly used the same tactic in cities including Delhi, Bhopal, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Gorakhpur. Police have confirmed that theft cases are registered against them in Panvel City, NRI Coastal Police Station, Koparkhairane, and several other locations.
During interrogation, the couple confessed to a nationwide theft spree, exploiting retail vulnerabilities and staff distraction in major urban markets.