In a significant breakthrough, Thane Police have arrested 25-year-old Salman Firoz Khan, believed to be behind a recent string of chain-snatching cases across the city. The arrest has helped the Crime Branch solve nine cases of gold chain thefts, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amarsingh Jadhav stated that Khan was tracked down through CCTV footage, technical surveillance, and local intelligence. He was eventually arrested in Naupada, Thane, where he returned with the motorcycle allegedly used in the crimes.
Khan had earlier fled to Ajmer, Rajasthan, after committing four back-to-back chain-snatching offences on April 11 in Naupada, Rabodi, and Vartak Nagar police jurisdictions. A special team from Crime Branch Unit I was formed to crack the case, leading to his arrest after days of tracking.
Police recovered gold chains weighing 100 grams (approx. Rs 10 lakh) and a motorcycle worth Rs 80,000. The same two-wheeler had been linked to a February 23 robbery, and has now been officially seized.
This arrest highlights the Crime Branch’s coordinated efforts to curb rising street crimes in Thane using tech-based investigations and rapid field intelligence.
