In a cunning case of distraction-based theft, Bhandup Police arrested two elderly women, Usha Makale (60) and Leelabai Dhokale (62), for stealing gold ornaments worth Rs1.27 lakh from a jewellery store by posing as customers.
The theft occurred nearly six weeks ago at ‘Love Gold’, a jewellery store owned by Manoj Jain in the Konkan Nagar area of Bhandup. According to officials, the accused entered the store with two young children to appear unsuspecting. While engaging the shopkeeper in conversation, they discreetly slipped gold ornaments into their possession and quickly exited the store.
Upon discovering the theft, the owner lodged a complaint, prompting police to review CCTV footage, which clearly captured the act. A focused surveillance operation revealed that the suspects, originally from Jalna district, had recently relocated to Kalyan. Based on specific intel, police laid a successful trap near Newali Naka and arrested the duo.
The investigation revealed that Makale and Dhokale are serial offenders, with several theft cases registered against them across Mumbai, Kalyan, Thane, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Authorities said the women used a consistent method—posing as customers, using children to deflect suspicion, and exploiting momentary distractions to steal.
A police official confirmed that six to seven similar thefts were linked to the duo. Investigations are ongoing to determine if they are connected to a wider criminal ring or acted independently.
