‘Gold polishers’ rob 72-year-old woman in Mumbai

The police are looking for two people who recently walked into a building at Parel and robbed a 72-year-old woman of her valuables under the pretext of shining them — all in the short span of 23 minutes

The police are looking for two people who recently walked into a building at Parel and robbed a 72-year-old woman of her valuables under the pretext of shining them — all in the short span of 23 minutes. Closed-Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) installed in the building premises have caught the duo.

The incident occurred at Krishna building near RM Bhatt High School on December 11 around 11.30am. “Both of them are around 35 to 40 years of age, are well-dressed with polished shoes. One of them was carrying a diary,” said the woman’s brother.

CCTV footage captured the two suspects, whom the police said are around 35 to 40 years of age.

The accused knocked on the doors of flats of the top floors, but they were not entertained. They then came to second floor where the woman lives. “The accused told my sister that they would polish ornaments, right from brass to gold. They asked her to remove four of her bangles and a gold chain worth around Rs2.5 lakh. She may have been hypnotised,” her brother said. The woman’s other brother, who is also in his sixties, was sleeping in another room.

One of the two suspects.

“The accused asked her to get a tumbler and fill water in it. The ornaments were put in the water and they mixed turmeric and some other substance in it. They asked her to put the gas on for fifteen minutes. When she went to kitchen, the accused escaped,” he said. The family then informed the police. The CCTV footage shows the accused were in the society for 23 minutes. The police have registered a case against the duo. “We have increased patrolling. Investigations are on if any history-sheeters are involved,” said Shirish Sawant, senior police inspector, Bhoiwada police station.