Vadodara: The Vadodara crime branch has arrested a man from Maharashtra for allegedly stealing gold ornaments worth over Rs14 lakh from a passenger at the state transport (ST) bus depot in the city.
The accused has been identified as Avinash Kale, who allegedly committed the theft in December last year along with his wife Vaishali Kale and another woman, Taramati Kale. While Avinash has been arrested, the two women are currently absconding.
Police said the trio, all residents of Maharashtra, travelled to Vadodara in a car with the specific intention of committing theft. After reaching the ST bus depot, they reportedly kept watch on passengers boarding buses and identified a commuter as their target. The accused allegedly stole a purse containing gold ornaments from the victim.
Investigators said crucial leads were obtained from CCTV footage, which captured the accused arriving at and moving around the bus depot in a car. Using the vehicle registration details, police traced the suspects to Beed district in Maharashtra and dispatched a team to the area.
During interrogation, Avinash Kale reportedly told police that the stolen gold ornaments were handed over to a local jeweller to make new jewellery. The jeweller melted the ornaments and converted them into a gold bar, which has since been seized by the police.
Police further revealed that Avinash Kale has three cases of loot and cheating registered against him in Maharashtra and Telangana, while his wife Vaishali Kale is involved in two theft cases in Maharashtra. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the absconding accused.
