Mumbai Crime: Real-life 'Bunty and Babli' rent homes, loot and escape

Navnit and Sunita are on the run with their 10-year-old son

A con couple, seemingly inspired by the 2005 Bollywood movie Bunty aur Babli, are on the run with their 10-year-old son after robbing one of their neighbours in Kopar village of around Rs 13 lakh. The police have learnt that the duo, identified as Navnit and Sunita Naik, never stay at one place on rent for more than 20 days, where in the meantime, they establish a relationship with their neighbours so they can eventually loot them.

The Saphale police had been looking for the couple in another case of theft that occurred under their jurisdiction, where they'd stolen valuables worth Rs 8 lakh. On Friday, they'd put up posters asking for information on them, when they got a call from Kopar about a house being robbed of around Rs 13 lakh, allegedly by the Naiks.

Cops have put up posters asking for Navnit and Sunita's whereabouts

Sunil Jadhav, senior inspector, Safala police station said, "Several cases have been registered against the husband and wife. They have a son. The couple randomly visits places in villages or cities, where they ask for a house on rent. Once they get the house, Sunita starts visiting neighbours to collect information about where they keep their jewellery and money. Then, they get inside the house and make away with the booty."

"On Friday, when we released their pictures and appealed to people to give information about the two, I got a call from Kopar village informing me about the same accused committing a robbery of Rs 13 lakh in their locality," added Jadhav.

The Naiks are fairly infamous for committing crimes in Bangalore, Vashi, Nashik, and in many other districts of Maharashtra. Officials said the couple never stay at a rented house for more than 15 or 20 days.

The cops said they've contacted Navnit's parents in Bhandup, who told them they have not been in contact with their mechanical engineer son for the past 10 years because of criminal habits. Navnit and Sunita's son used to stay with the grandparents when his parents were in jail, but after they were released, they took him out of school and away with them.

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