Pune Police urge residents to secure homes before Diwali travel as burglaries persist

Pune Police have warned that leaving a house locked to visit relatives or friends for Diwali can be risky, as thieves are active.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Tejaswi Satpute has advised people to make arrangements to protect their valuables before leaving. "Those who will be away from home for a long period should keep their valuables in a bank locker. Ask trusted neighbours to keep an eye on the house, and consider installing CCTV cameras to improve security," he said.

September, October and November are the festival months, and house burglaries and thefts remain a concern in Pune during this period. According to data available with Pune Police, 47 house burglary cases were registered in the city in September. Between October 1 and 27, 40 cases were registered on a preliminary basis.

Satpute said, "House burglary cases rise during the festival season. Thieves keep watch on houses and look for a chance to break in when people are away. Gold and silver jewellery and cash are often kept at home at this time, so such houses can become targets. Whenever cases are registered, we investigate, and we have generally been able to arrest the accused."

Several incidents of house burglary and theft occurred in Pune and surrounding areas in September. In some cases, police made arrests and recovered stolen property.

In one case, Vishrambaug police arrested Jagdishsingh Namansingh Kalani, 34. He is accused of involvement in five house burglary cases registered at the Vishrambaug, Bharati Vidyapeeth and Vishrantwadi police stations. Acting on an informer's tip, police tracked him down at Tilekar Nagar in Kondhwa. He is alleged to have targeted locked houses and stolen valuables, including gold jewellery. Police have recovered jewellery worth about Rs 16 lakh and are probing his possible role in other crimes.

In another case, Samarth police recovered gold and silver jewellery and other valuables worth Rs 52 lakh in connection with house burglaries. Investigators reached the suspects with the help of CCTV footage, technical analysis and confidential information, and were able to recover the goods. The items were later returned to their owners on a court order.

Three recent theft cases have been reported from Undri-Pisoli, Lohegaon and Loni Kalbhor, involving a total loss of about Rs 14.95 lakh. Jewellery worth Rs 7.35 lakh was allegedly stolen from Sulai Vihar society in Undri-Pisoli. Goods worth Rs 6.80 lakh were reported missing on the Lohegaon-Wagholi road. A loss of about Rs 80,000 was reported at Mogale Vasti in Loni Kalbhor.

Several burglary cases were registered in Pune in October. In one, about 2.2 kg of gold jewellery and biscuits, valued at Rs 2.20 crore, were stolen from the premises of Mohammad Toufiq Razzak Khan, 36, a gold jewellery maker in Raviwar Peth. The incident took place on October 10 between 6 pm and 8.15 pm.

Khadak police on October 11 arrested Mustafa Nazir Shaikh, 36, and Sarfaraz alias Awez Mainuddin Shaikh, 22. Police recovered 2.246 kg of gold worth about Rs 2.24 crore. The accused were traced through CCTV footage and technical investigation, and are alleged to have used a duplicate key.

In another case, goods worth Rs 7,07,360 were stolen from a locked flat in Ujwal Bhusari Colony, Kothrud, between October 24 and 25. Unidentified accused allegedly broke the lock of the flat and stole valuables, including copper wire. Kothrud police registered the case on October 25.

At Kudale Patil Heritage Co-operative Housing Society in Manik Baug, goods worth Rs 67,250 were stolen on October 16 between 5 pm and 7.30 pm. The stolen items include a gold mangalsutra, silver idols, silver puja utensils and cash. The thieves are alleged to have also tried to enter a neighbouring flat. Police are examining CCTV footage to identify the suspects.