A crorepati thief is brought to book

In Pune, he had a family and a thriving business; by night he came to Mumbai to rob, report Megha Sood and Yogesh Joshi.

This modern-day Robin Hood flew into Mumbai to rob people. Restaurateur by day and robber by night, Madhukar Mohandas Prabhakar (53), possessed legitimate means to lead a lavish life. But he couldn’t shed an old theft habit.

A criminal who donated part of his booty to the needy, Prabhakar is a popular figure in Khadki, the Pune neighbourhood where he owns the plush MM Restaurant. He has also helped build a Ganesh temple in the area.

Arrested on Tuesday during a routine nakabandi, the police stumbled upon his fascinating modus operandi. The housebreaker with a history of over 90 cases, travelled by plane or taxi to strike in Mumbai and fled the city at dawn.

HT Image

On Saturday, Prabhakar left Pune in a taxi and reached Mumbai in the evening. He broke into a house on LT Marg and stole jewellery worth Rs 2.23 lakh, "He selects the target after locating a locked house in a taxi," said an officer from Nagpada police station.

According to Anant Nadkarni of the Indian Psychology Health Centre, Prabhakar could be suffering from the anti-social personality disorder. "People with this disorder are difficult to cure because they resist constructive change."
Among the homes that Prabhakar broke into is the bungalow of legendary actress Nargis Dutt.