Laptop theft on train: 20 arrests and 10 externment fail to deter homeless man from robbing commuters

Mumbai: A homeless man was arrested by the crime branch officers on Tuesday for allegedly committing thefts on suburban trains for 20 years, despite being arrested 20 times and externed from the city at least 10 times

Mumbai: A homeless man was arrested by the crime branch officers on Tuesday for allegedly committing thefts on suburban trains for 20 years, despite being arrested 20 times and externed from the city at least 10 times.

Laptop theft on train: 20 arrests and 10 externment fail to deter homeless man from robbing commuters

The accused, identified as Manish Shende (38) was arrested for allegedly robbing a laptop worth ₹87,000 from a commuter between Rey Road and Dockyard Road stations on November 5.

According to Arshuddin Shaikh, senior police inspector of the GRP crime branch, the complainant Avinash Bhondve (45) kept his laptop bag on the top shelf of the local train. “The complainant began watching a movie on his phone after the train started. However, when it was time for him to get off the train, he found his laptop bag missing,” said Shaikh.

When the police began an investigation, they checked the CCTV footage on the platforms between Kharghar to Dockyard Road and found Shende walking casually with Bhondve’s bag, exiting the Dockyard Road station. “Upon seeing Shende, we immediately recognised him, as he has been arrested at least seven times by us in the past three years,” said police sub-inspector Ashok Holkar, from the GRP crime branch.

The moment GRP officers saw Shende, who is wanted in at least 25 more cases, they were confident that Bhondve’s bag was robbed by him, owing to his history of a similar crime.

“We knew where he could be and where he tried to sell off the laptop,” said Holkar.

On Tuesday after searching for Shende on pavements near Dadar, Mankhurd, CSMT and Byculla stations, the officers found him at Thane and arrested him.

The police officers said that they have tried to counsel Shende many times and also externed him at least 10 times but he still comes back and commits the same crime. “We arrest Shende for thefts, produce him before the court where he is convicted and sentenced for a few month’s imprisonments and as soon as he is released, he returns to the railway stations and starts robbing commuters again,” said Holkar.

“The modus-operandi of Shende is to rob the bags kept on the luggage shelves and sell off the electronics for low prices to anyone who is looking for a cheap deal, he then spends his money at bars, drinking alcohol. He lives on pavements and has no possessions,” added Holkar.