Navi Mumbai Police Arrests Four Suspects Linked to Department Store Robbery
Navi Mumbai, 8th October 2024: The Central Unit of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has apprehended four notorious individuals with criminal records who fled from Delhi in September after robbing the manager of a 24Seven departmental store in Harinagar. Following the robbery, they travelled to Navi Mumbai, where they engaged in chain snatching and vehicle theft across various locations within the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai police.
The police have recovered 66 grams of stolen gold jewellery and two bikes, with a total value of ₹7.70 lakhs. Among those arrested are the main suspects, a husband-and-wife team identified as Sagar Mehra (27) and Shikha Mehra (27), along with their accomplice Abhay Nain (19), all originally from Uttar Pradesh but living in Delhi. The fourth suspect, Anuj Chari (24), also hails from Uttar Pradesh and resides in Koparkhairane.
According to ACP (Crime) Ajay Landge, Sagar Mehra has a significant criminal history, with 36 registered cases of robbery, dacoity, and vehicle theft across various police stations in Delhi. Additionally, a robbery case involving Sagar and his three accomplices was registered at the Koparkhairane police station for gold chain snatching.
The crime branch revealed that in September, the four suspects stole a gold chain and cash from the manager of the 24Seven store before heading to Navi Mumbai. An FIR for the snatching of a mangalsutra was filed at the Kamothe police station on September 23. From that date until September 26, several chain-snatching incidents were reported in CBD-Belapur, Kharghar, Panvel City, Kalamboli, Nerul, Vashi, Sanpada, and Kamothe, with the group using a stolen bike to facilitate their crimes.
In response, Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe instructed the Crime Branch Unit-2 to investigate these street crimes. Over a week, investigators reviewed footage from around 45 CCTV cameras in housing societies and guesthouses throughout Navi Mumbai. Using this evidence, the whereabouts of the suspects were traced, leading to their arrest at a guesthouse in Ulwe on October 2.
Three of the accused have been remanded to police custody until October 7, while Anuj Chari has been transferred to the custody of the Panvel City police regarding the robbery case against him. Additionally, a Delhi court has declared Sagar Mehra a proclaimed offender for failing to appear during trial in four criminal cases, as he absconded after being granted bail.
