A high-stakes gold robbery that shook Vasai earlier this month has finally been solved. The Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have arrested five men, including two who carried out the robbery, for looting a jewellery store at gunpoint. The police also recovered a portion of the stolen gold along with weapons and other evidence.

The Robbery: A 80 Seconds Nightmare

The incident took place on January 10 at Mayank Jewellers, a jewellery showroom located in a residential complex on Bhabola-Chulna Road in Vasai (West). Rattanlalji Singhvi, the 69-year-old owner, was preparing to close for the day when two men on a motorcycle arrived at the store.

One of them wore a helmet, while the other had his face covered with a mask, clearly attempting to hide their identities. As soon as they entered, one of the robbers pulled out a pistol and ordered Singhvi to stay silent. However, Singhvi tried to resist, which led to a violent response—the robbers struck him on the head with the butt of the gun.

After overpowering the elderly businessman, the duo made their way to the store’s locker, quickly grabbing boxes filled with gold ornaments. In just  1 minute and 20 seconds, they managed to escape with 949 grams of gold worth ₹71 lakh. The robbery sent shockwaves through the local community, leaving residents and shopkeepers in fear.

A Massive Investigation Launched

Understanding the seriousness of the crime, DCP (Zone II) Pournima Chougule-Shringi immediately visited the crime scene. She assigned six dedicated teams to track down the culprits.

The investigators scanned footage from nearly 600 CCTV cameras installed in and around the crime scene as well as along possible escape routes. The breakthrough came when they noticed a motorcycle in one of the videos. What caught their attention was the bike’s peculiar horn sound, accompanied by a flashing headlight.

Further investigation revealed that this bike had entered a building near Girij Tokpada, a location linked to known criminals. After confirming the lead, the police set a trap and successfully apprehended two of the main suspects—Anuj Gangaram Chougle (36) and Roy Edward Siqueira, also known as Royal (46).

The Arrests and Recoveries

During questioning, Chougle and Siqueira revealed the names of their accomplices. This led to the arrests of:

  • Sitaram Sarjerao More alias Lalsingh (56)
  • Saurabh Tukaram Rakshe alias Pappu (27), from Satara
  • Amar Bharat Nimgire (21), from Karnataka, who was the buyer of the stolen gold

During the arrests, the police recovered:

  • 297 grams of molten gold worth ₹23.39 lakh
  • An automatic pistol with live cartridges
  • The motorcycle used in the crime
  • Mobile phones, sickles, and cutters

DCP Chougule-Shringi praised her team’s relentless efforts, stating,

“It was a tough challenge, but our officers worked tirelessly to solve this case. The robbery was meticulously planned, but we managed to track down and arrest the culprits.”

A Gang with a Criminal Past

A background check of the arrested individuals revealed a long history of serious crimes. The gang members had previously been involved in 37 major offences, including murder and armed dacoity, across Thane, Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar, and Satara.

The ringleader, Anuj Gangaram Chougle, had a particularly notorious past. He had been booked in 20 serious cases and was even charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) at Koyna Nagar police station in 2016.

Legal Action and Next Steps

Following their arrest, an FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and Arms Act at Manekpur police station in Vasai. All five accused have been remanded to police custody, and further investigations are ongoing.

Authorities are now focusing on:

  1. Recovering the remaining stolen gold
  2. Identifying any additional accomplices
  3. Examining links to other unsolved robberies

Community Reactions

Local residents and business owners have expressed relief at the arrests but remain concerned about safety. The jewellery community in Vasai is particularly shaken, with many store owners urging police to increase patrols and surveillance in the area.

A jeweller from the locality shared,

“We are thankful to the police for solving the case quickly, but we need stricter security measures. Incidents like these put our lives and livelihoods at risk.”

With the case progressing and all five accused behind bars, the MBVV police continue their efforts to bring justice and recover the stolen gold.