In a bizarre shoe theft incident in Mumbai's suburbs, an burglar casually strolled through a high-rise society, systematically stealing expensive footwear left outside apartments across 13 different floors. A now-viral CCTV image clearly shows the thief's face as he calmly takes the elevator, fills two bags with stolen shoes, and walks away all while being recorded by security cameras.
The social media response took an unexpected turn when netizens noted the burglar's resemblance to the accused in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case.
The incident came to light after social media user @mashrujeet shared footage of the burglarly, writing: “A thief entered our society this morning and stole costly shoes from nearly 13 floors. He filled two bags, showed his face on multiple CCTVs, used the lift, and simply left. What’s happening in Mumbai? Now, I’ll have to waste half a day at the police station just to file an FIR—if they even register one.”
As of now, it remains unclear whether an FIR has been filed or if any legal action has been taken against the burglar.
The viral post sparked comments by X users with humor on social media, with X users dubbing the thief “Chappal Chor." and also mentioned the burglar's resemblance to Saif Ali Khan's stabbing accused.
One user, wrote: “This looks like the same guy questioned during the Saif Ali Khan case. At least two other societies I know of have caught him on CCTV. Seems he’s a serial offender—and no one cares.”
Others pointed out the absurdity of the situation and wrote, “This is why you should never keep shoes outside your house! But wait… in Mumbai, there’s no space inside either.”
Mumbai Matters, a local page, said: “Many societies face such ‘chappal chors’ despite CCTVs and guards. That’s why some ban residents from using common areas for personal storage.
According to social media users, such thefts are alarmingly common in upscale societies, raising questions about security lapses. Despite high-end surveillance, victims are often left to individually file FIRs, a tedious process that discourages many from pursuing justice.
As of now, there’s no confirmation if the suspect has been apprehended. The incident also points out not just the audacity of the thief but also the broader challenges of urban security and policing inefficiencies in Mumbai.
