09 December,2013 06:40 AM IST | | Saurabh Vaktania
When Sunil D'mello went to a bank in Kalina to withdraw Rs 1,10,000 in cash, he had no idea that he was being watched closely and tailed by a group of thieves. After making his way out of the bank, he placed the bag of money on his shoulders and began to start the engine of his bike.
Cops say that gang of thieves kept a close watch on Sunil D'mello even while he was inside the bank, and were aware of how much money he had withdrawn
One of the accused then sneaked up from behind and threw dirt at him. The other accused, posing as a passer-by, alerted him of the dirt patch on his shirt. He even commiserated with D'mello and suggested that he take some water from a nearby hawker to get rid of the stain.
As soon as this brief conversation was over, D'mello turned around to see that his bag was missing. CCTV footage collected later shows a young boy using the diversion to pick up the bag of money and run off. After a desperate search failed to yield any success, he approached the Vakola police and registered a complaint.
The police have intensified search for the gang. According to the police, the gang uses the same modus operandi to commit thefts in the city. Senior Police Inspector Vinayak Mulay, Vakola police station, said, "All the accused kept a close watch on D'mello even while he was inside the bank, and were aware of how much money he had withdrawn.
The insider then must have given the green signal to his accomplices to set the plan in action. We suspect the role of around six accused in the crime, including a minor aged around 12. We are investigating the crime and hope to arrest the accused soon." He added, "People must beware in banks and ATMs."u00a0
