The Property Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch on Saturday arrested five members of a bag-lifting gang, who have targeted a number of people across the city using a unique modus operandi. Recently they targeted a diamond merchant from Borivli in April and made away with a bag with 150 packets of diamonds. Five of them were traced to different parts of the state.

According to the Property Cell, the incident was reported at Borivli police station on March 13. The theft happened when the businessman, identified as Sagar Shah, was returning home from his office located near Opera House. “The gang started following him and boarded the bus he took. Using their modus operandi, they lifted the bag and got off the bus without the victim even noticing it,” said DCP Prakash Jadhav, Mumbai Crime Branch.