Twenty days after two men carried out an armed robbery at Mayank Jewellers, a gold showroom in Vasai (east), the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have arrested five individuals, including the primary suspects and their accomplices. The Rs. 71 lakh worth of gold ornaments was stolen on January 10, 2024.
The robbery took place when Rattanlalji Singhvi, the 69-year-old shop owner, was preparing to close the shop at around 9:13 pm. Two men arrived on a bike, one wearing a helmet and the other sporting a mask to hide their identities. They barged into the Mayank Jewellers showroom, where one of them pulled out a gun and threatened Singhvi to remain silent.
When Singhvi attempted to resist, the armed robber struck him on the head with the gun before heading to the locker to steal boxes containing gold ornaments weighing over 949 grams, valued at more than Rs. 71 lakh. The robbery, executed in just five minutes, sent shockwaves through the region.
DCP Pournima Chougule-Shringi, realizing the gravity of the crime, visited the scene and quickly set up six police teams to trace the suspects. The teams meticulously examined footage from over 600 CCTV cameras in the vicinity. The breakthrough came when investigators noticed a distinctive bike horn and headlight flash. The bike was seen near a building in the Girij Tokpada area, which was confirmed to be owned by a notorious criminal.
Following this lead, the police laid a trap and successfully arrested the two primary suspects, Anuj Gangaram Chougle (36) and Roy Edward Siqueira, also known as Royal (46). Their interrogations led to the arrest of three accomplices: Sitaram Sarjerao More, alias Lalsingh (56), Saurabh Tukaram Rakshe, alias Pappu (27), and the buyer of the stolen gold, Amar Bharat Nimgire (21) from Karnataka.
The case is still under investigation as authorities work to track down any remaining suspects connected to this Rs. 71 lakh gold heist.
