Vadodara: The city crime branch has arrested two women from Maharashtra, allegedly part of an inter-state gang that specifically targeted unlocked houses in Vadodara. The arrests have led to the detection of three house theft cases and the recovery of stolen property valued at Rs 1.38 lakh.
Arrest and Recovery
The accused have been identified as Akila Pawar and Lili Pawar, both residents of Palghar district in Maharashtra. They were apprehended near Golden Bridge after police received a tip-off that members of a women-led theft gang were in the city carrying stolen valuables. During the operation, crime branch officials recovered five mobile phones, nine silver coins, two silver glasses, and cash from the duo. As the women could not provide satisfactory proof of ownership of these items, they were detained and an investigation was launched.
Details of Thefts
Interrogation revealed their involvement in multiple thefts across the city. On May 13, Akila and her associates stole gold ornaments and cash worth Rs 49,950 from a house in Patni Mohalla near Raopura Tower. The gang was also linked to a theft at Nand Vihar Flats on Dabhoi Road on May 14, where two mobile phones and cash worth Rs 9,500 were stolen. In another case, Lili and her accomplices were allegedly involved in a theft at a residence in Amdawadi Pol, Kadva Sheri, where cash worth Rs 5 lakh and a laptop were stolen. The total value of stolen property in that case was estimated at Rs 5.8 lakh.
Modus Operandi
According to police, the accused, along with relatives and associates, would travel from Maharashtra to Vadodara and camp near highway bridges before splitting into smaller groups during the morning hours. The gang specifically targeted houses that were unlocked or inadequately secured, stealing jewellery, cash, laptops, and mobile phones.
Legal Action and Investigation
Crime branch officials stated that the arrests helped solve three previously registered house-breaking offences, including two cases at Karelibaug police station and one at Kapurai police station. The accused have been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 305(a) (theft in a dwelling house), Sections 331(1) and 331(3) (lurking house trespass and house-breaking), and Section 303(2) (theft of movable property). Further investigation is underway to trace other members of the gang, and officials are probing whether the accused were involved in other unsolved offences in Vadodara and neighbouring districts.
