The Khar police have arrested Arjun Kale, 24, and Balaji Pawar, 20, for allegedly duping women and senior citizens by luring them with promises of donations. The two men, identified as pavement dwellers from Mahim West and Borivali East, used a deceptive tactic to steal valuables from their victims.
According to the police, the accused approached women and elderly people, claiming that their employer was distributing cash to celebrate a birth in the family. The victims were taken to a deserted lane where they were instructed to remove their jewelry and place it in their bags to “look poor” in order to receive the donation. Once the victims complied, the accused would use sleight of hand to steal their jewelry.
In one of the most recent incidents, a 73-year-old woman from Khar Danda was targeted on November 27, where the thieves stole a 2-tola gold chain, 1-tola gold earrings, and half-tola ear ornaments from her purse. Following an FIR lodged by the victim, the police managed to track down the accused and arrest them.
The police recovered stolen valuables worth Rs 1.31 lakh from the Khar Danda victim. Further investigation revealed that the two men had been involved in five previous crimes, with stolen goods worth Rs 3.22 lakh recovered from them. The police have confirmed that they are continuing to investigate and may uncover more cases tied to the accused.