Thane and Navi Mumbai serial housebreaker arrested after year-long spree

The thief used his baldness to evade detection, altering his appearance with different wigs for every theft

Thane: A serial housebreaker, known for a stealing style straight out of a movie plot, was arrested on Tuesday. He used flight to travel from Northeast to Mumbai for each burglary and exploited his baldness to evade detection, altering his appearance with different wigs for every theft. The arrest follows 22 house break-ins reported in Thane and Navi Mumbai over the past year.

Serial housebreaker arrested after year-long spree

The accused, identified as Abdul Islam, 35, is the sole director of his plan. He is survived by 11 brothers and other family members. With his earnings, he has constructed a six-room bungalow for his family.

According to officials, he would initially stay in private hotels, where he would strategise and finalise his targets. Primarily, he targeted first-floor flats, with a few instances on the second floor. Utilising the staircase to reach the flats, breaking into rooms using fine equipment, and escaping with valuable jewellery and cash within minutes. Typically, he would focus on two to three rooms during each theft.

Crime Branch Unit 2, led by senior inspector Sachin Gaikwad, initiated an investigation into the cases registered within their jurisdiction. Even after scouring through countless CCTV footages, the team faced challenges as the appearance of the accused would constantly change, making it difficult to track his movements and analyse his escape route. Continuously examining various CCTV footage from Bhiwandi, Navi Mumbai, they found similarities in the suspect’s movements and facial features. It was found that the accused was the same individual arrested by Navi Mumbai police a few years back, and had been on the run since the lockdown. Despite efforts by both Navi Mumbai and Mumbai police, the accused managed to evade capture due to his ability to alter his appearance.

An officer said, “After identifying the suspect, information was received from sources that he was in Assam, at his native place, observing the Ramzan Month. The team was there for almost five days, enduring heavy rain, to arrest him. They changed their identities and moved around on bicycles to avoid detection by the suspect. Finally, the team trapped him near his house as he tried to escape. In a bid to evade, he jumped from the first floor, sustaining injuries but was arrested by the team. Upon bringing him to Thane, jewellery worth ₹62 lakh was recovered, linked to 22 housebreaking cases.”