Mumbai: Police nab robber despite swift switch of attire

Representational Image. File Pic

A robber swiftly switched his attire, probably inspired by movies, after snatching a chain from an unsuspecting woman, and was confident that his ploy would evade being identified by the police. However, his hopes were belied as the police were able to identify him from his shoes, which he didn't bother to change. The police were not only able to identify the robber, they had him arrested within 12 hours of the incident.

The Kandivli police have arrested 30-year-old Nilesh Valmiki for allegedly snatching a gold chain from the neck of a 45-year-old woman at New Link Road near Dhanukarwadi Metro station on Saturday evening. The victim, Anit Fulsamkar, a resident of the Shiv Krupa building in Dahanukarwadi, Kandivli West, was walking home from the 90 Feet Fish Market around 9.30 pm when the accused approached from behind, snatched her 12gm gold chain worth Rs. 40,000 and fled.

The woman approached the Kandivli police and filed an FIR on Saturday night. Considering the seriousness of the crime, under the guidance of deputy commisisoner of police Anand Bhoite Zone 11 and senior inspector Dyaneshwar Ganore, assistant police inspector Hemant Geete, along with police sub-inspector Deepak Patil and other members of the detection team, began the investigation.

Though the police heavily rely on surveillance footage, they initially failed to gain any lead on this front. The suspect, as described by the woman and as seen running in the CCTV footage, is seen wearing an oversized T-shirt with his face hidden behind a handkerchief. However, in the footage from cameras in the vicinity, none of the people matched the description. It seemed as if the robber had disappeared into thin air.

"It was a very difficult task as we reviewed dozens of CCTV footage, but the accused was not seen anywhere," the officer said. "However, when we closely observed and watched a few footages, we zeroed in on a suspect wearing a different coloured T-shirt, there was no face mask, but the shoes were the same worn by the fleeing suspect. He seemed to have changed his attire. With his face, we positively identified him and nabbed him," said an officer from Kandivli police station.

This is not the first time Valmiki has been arrested by the police. "Valmiki has had a previous crime record of theft and snatching in the Malad and Kandivli areas since 2016. Valmiki was arrested and produced before the court today, where he was remanded to police custody," said a police officer.