Copper Wire Thieves Busted in Mumbai, Six Arrested in Connection with Theft

Mumbai, 12th June 2024: Excavation activities for infrastructure projects and pre-monsoon preparations are frequent occurrences in Mumbai. Hence, residents of Dadar and nearby areas initially assumed that the digging they observed was for legitimate purposes.

However, it later came to light that a group of five individuals were not authorized workers but rather members of a thieving gang targeting copper wire from utility cables.

Authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the theft, estimated at a value of Rs 6 to 7 lakh. The incident surfaced last week when Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) officials alerted the Matunga police station.

The theft involved digging up the footpath along Dadar-Matunga Road in central Mumbai, prompting MTNL to file a complaint against unidentified perpetrators.

Police launched an investigation, scrutinizing CCTV footage to identify the culprits. Simultaneously, another police team tracked down a scrap dealer named Niku Chunnilal Gupta, suspected of purchasing the stolen copper wire.

During interrogation, Gupta revealed the involvement of Manish Jain and four accomplices, who executed the theft by excavating the footpath. Subsequently, Mumbai Police apprehended four individuals residing in western suburbs and Thane.

The thieves would burn the cable to remove its coatings, then melt the copper for resale, according to police reports.

The theft initially went unnoticed due to the commonplace nature of excavation work in the city. However, MTNL officials raised concerns upon discovering numerous non-functional telephone lines and missing copper wire in the Dadar-Matunga area.

The recovered stolen copper wire, valued at Rs 6 to 7 lakh, led to the apprehension of the suspects. This arrest marks the dismantling of a gang responsible for illicitly digging up roads and footpaths to steal utility cables.

Further investigations into the matter are ongoing.