The Malad police has arrested a 48-year-old rickshaw driver, who specifically stole valuables from cars stationed near Garba pandals after smashing open their windows.
The Malad police has arrested a 48-year-old rickshaw driver, who specifically stole valuables from cars stationed near Garba pandals after smashing open their windows. He had committed his latest act on SV Road in Malad.
According the police, the accused identified as Sarfuddin Aka Sarfu Abdul Rashid Shaikh was a repeat offender with some 25 cases of theft registered against him.
Officers said Shaikh, who was a resident of Madh jetty in Malwani, targeted cars of people, participating in Garba. “He has mastered the art of breaking glasses of cars with one punch,” said an officer, who did not wish to be named.
On October 5, Ketan Shah, a resident of Malad, lodged a police complaint that the window of his Maruti car had been broken and his brand new iPhone stolen. Following the complaint, the police started an investigation and zeroed in on Shaikh. On October 6 late evening, the police arrested him from Orlem Church, Malad, when he was driving his auto.
During police interrogation, Shaikh accepted his crime and informed the police that he had been externed from the Khar area. “Also he has cases registered against him in Borivali, Santazruz and Kandivali,” said the officer.
Officers said Navratri was particularly his favourite season to target individuals with cars. In 2015, he had stolen valuables worth more than Rs 1.23 lakh from the cars stationed near a Garba pandal. “He used to keep an eye on cars while driving his auto,” said another policemen.
Shaikh was produced in court and remanded in police custody till Monday. Further, the Borivali police too has asked for Shaikh’s custod, the police said.
