Masked robber at bike showroom turned out to be an employee

Pratik, who was employed as a storekeeper, kept reporting for work after the robbery to put police off his trail. On the third day, he proceeded on a four-day leave

A Crime Branch Unit 4 team on Wednesday arrested an employee of a motorcycle showroom in Wakdewadi for forcing his way in after tying up the security guard and robbing ₹7.11 lakh in cash from the locker, on August 19. The accused has been identified as Pratik Bharat Sawant (23), a resident of Maharshinagar in Gultekdi.

From the beginning, Khadki police, where the robbery case was registered, suspected the hand of an insider. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

From the beginning, Khadki police, where the robbery case was registered, suspected the hand of an insider. However, as the robber was wearing a mask, it was difficult to identify him. Pratik, who was employed as a storekeeper, kept reporting for work after the robbery to put police off his trail. On the third day, he proceeded on a four-day leave.

According to the investigating officers, the nature of the robbery led them to suspect that the robber was an insider. Based on technical analysis of CCTV footage and inputs from informers, they identified the masked robber on CCTV footage as Pratik Sawant, who had by this time gone on leave. Police immediately took a photo of Sawant from the showroom and began their search. He was eventually spotted sitting on a motorcycle near a Ganpati temple in Maharshinagar. Upon questioning, he confessed to the crime and police took him into custody, and seized the motorcycle.

Senior inspector Ajay Waghmare, Khadki police, said, “He was reportedly in debt and was aware that cash was kept at the showroom. To repay the loan, he decided to commit the theft. In an attempt to avoid suspicion, he continued to report to work for two days after the theft and then took leave.”