65-year-old Pune man robbed, fourth such case in two weeks

The accused approaches the victim with the apparent intention of cleaning dirt off the victim’s shirt, while another person brings water to clean it. While the victim is distracted, two people on a bike flick the bag from the victim.

In a fourth such incident in the last two weeks, 65-year-old Pandharinath Wagh of Pimple Saudagar was robbed by a man who approached him under the pretext of cleaning dirt off his clothing. The incident happened on Saturday afternoon when Wagh was robbed of his bag containing Rs.50,000 and a few documents. City police suspect a gang of four to five people responsible for all the thefts.

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon when Wagh was robbed of his bag containing Rs.50,000 and a few documents. (HT Representative Photo)

The sexagenarian was walking along the road near Kunal Icon Society in Pimple Saudagar when a man approached him saying there was dirt on his shirt. With an apparent intention of cleaning it, the man, estimated to be 45-years of age, approached Wagh, according to the police.

While Wagh was distracted, the man, wearing denim and white shirt, allegedly fled with the black bag containing the cash and the documents.

A case under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Sangavi police station. Police sub-inspector (PSI) MT Shinde of Sangavi police station, who registered the case, said, “We have acquired the CCTV footage of the area. Similar incidents were reported during Diwali as well.”

A similar incident was reported from Mundhwa on February 21, when Mahadev Daud, 31, was robbed of Rs.4 lakh after a man approached him saying there was dirt on his shirt. However, two other people were involved in this case.

“On February 17 and February 20, similar cases were reported from Loni Kalbhor (under Pune rural police). We have acquired their CCTV footage. One person approaches saying there’s dirt on the victim’s shirt, while another person brings water to clean it and while the victim is distracted, two people on a bike flick the bag from the victim,” said PSI Amol Gawali of Mundhwa police station who is investigating the February 21 theft.

On February 20, a similar incident was reported from Bhosari, when a man was robbed of Rs.1,23,000 by two men of similar description after throwing itching powder on him.