Thief misses century

The city police nabbed a thief who was on the verge of committing a century of vehicle thefts along with two other accomplices, a run-away prisoner and a driver at a school.


Raju Baburao Javalkar. Pic/Nikhil Ghorpade

The thief identified as Raju Baburao Javalkar (40) of Ahmednagar, and his two accomplices Ramesh Mahadev Kumbhar (32) of Kolhapur, the run away prisoner, and Sachin Bhalchandra Dhokle (32) of Dhankawadi, who worked as a driver, were arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Police Inspector Bhanupratap Barge at Kalyani Nagar in Yerawada.

The trio used to steal mostly heavy vehicles from areas such as Sahakar Nagar, Hadapsar, Kothrud, Chatuhshrungi, Pimpri, Hinjewadi, Airport, Yerawada, Bhosari and Loni Kalbhor. Javalkar was also booked for sheltering run-away prisoner Kumbhar.

Kumbhar, who was lodged in the Yerawada jail for his involvement in 30 housebreakings, had escaped from police custody on his way to Shivajinagar court in March 2008, the police said.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anant Shinde said: "Javalkar was recently released from the Yerawada jail and he has 99 vehicle thefts on his record. He had sheltered Kumbhar and Dhokle and the trio were planning to commit more thefts."

Inspector Barge said: "Kumbhar has confessed that he conspired with one Mahesh Babar and hatched a plot to run away from the prison. He was wanted in 29 vehicle thefts apart from housebreaking cases registered against him."

"We have recovered two small cars from them and we are investigating if they had stolen more such cars,' Barge added.

Commenting on Dhokle's involvement Barge said: "We will visit the school tomorrow to verify if the school had checked Dhokle's background before appointing him as a school bus driver."