Mumbai: In a swift breakthrough, the Mumbai Police cracked the ₹2.5 crore gold heist that took place in broad daylight on Thursday in the city’s Nagpada area, arresting five accused within just 12 hours of the crime. All the stolen gold has also been recovered.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Vinayak Dalvi and Mangesh Shinde (both from Kurla), Shahnawaz Khan (from Sewree), and Abdul Hakim Abdul Qadir and Santosh Jain (from Nagpada).
According to police, one of the accused, Santosh Jain, had previously worked with the complainant’s jewellery company and was aware of the gold delivery routes and internal operations—a crucial detail that helped the gang execute the robbery.
Police investigations revealed that the gang meticulously planned the heist over multiple days and conducted surveillance of the route before striking. The motive, as per officials, was to settle personal debts and achieve quick financial gains.
The robbery occurred when two employees of a Kalbadevi-based jeweller were transporting about 3 kg of gold—including gold bars and broken jewellery for repair—to a manufacturing unit in Lower Parel. As the duo approached the Diana Bridge near Navjivan Junction, two men on a motorcycle intercepted them. One of the robbers threatened the pillion rider and snatched the bag filled with gold. They also took the scooter’s ignition key to prevent pursuit.
Suspecting insider knowledge, police reviewed CCTV footage from the vicinity and identified the motorcycles used in the heist. Based on the registration numbers, teams from the Nagpada police and the Crime Branch tracked and nabbed the suspects.
While three were caught by Nagpada police, the remaining two were picked up by the Crime Branch. Police are now investigating whether the accused have any prior criminal records. Further inquiries are underway.
