In a major crackdown on street crime, the Thane Crime Branch (Unit 04) has busted a notorious gang involved in chain-snatching incidents across Mumbai and Thane, arresting four accused and recovering gold ornaments worth over rS16 lakh.
Police revealed that the mastermind behind the gang was a professional jeweller, who exploited his technical expertise to destroy evidence by melting stolen gold immediately after the crimes.
Following a spike in high-value chain-snatching cases in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Crime Branch Unit 04 launched a focused investigation. Acting on specific intelligence inputs about four habitual offenders, police laid a trap and successfully apprehended the suspects.
The prime accused has been identified as Ram Singh Chauhan, a Mumbai-based jewellery shop owner. Three of his associates were also arrested during the operation.
According to investigators, Chauhan played a key role beyond merely handling the stolen goods. He personally conducted recce of crowded areas, identifying victims wearing heavy gold ornaments. Once his associates carried out the snatchings, the stolen jewellery was brought to Chauhan’s shop.
Using his professional skills, Chauhan would melt the stolen ornaments immediately, removing all identifiable features to prevent tracing or recovery. The gold was then either sold, reshaped into new jewellery, or converted into cash, which was distributed among the gang members.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Amar Singh Jadhav of the Thane Crime Branch said the involvement of a trained jeweller made the gang particularly dangerous. “He not only facilitated the thefts but also provided the infrastructure to quickly liquidate stolen assets, making recovery extremely difficult,” the DCP said.
All four accused have been remanded to police custody till February 12. Further investigation is underway to determine their involvement in other unsolved chain-snatching and theft cases across the MMR.
