The Malad police wore several hats for seven days to nab five men who had stolen valuables worth Rs 18 lakh from a retired teacher’s home last month. The cops became auto drivers, hawkers and even ‘lovers’ in Ghatkopar, Navi Mumbai, Mumbra, Govandi, and Malwani for the operation. Each accused faces about 30 cases, while one of them used to buy stolen goods from other robbers, said the police. 

The police have identified the robbers as Naushad Khan, 31, Saddam Khan, 34, Abdul Pathan, alias Takla, 40, Rony, alias Altaf Fernandez, 35, and Guddu Soni, 35. The history-sheeters formed a gang after they met in jail. They would target houses in unsecured societies without watchmen or CCTV surveillance, said the cops.