Pune: The Swargate Police cracked a high-profile burglary case involving ₹80 lakh in loot and solved 14 related cases in Pune. The arrested individuals include Ganesh Kathewade (a former Zomato delivery boy), Suresh Baban Pawar (ex-deputy sarpanch of Ambarwed village, Mulshi), and Bhimsingh alias Ajay Rajput, a middleman. The arrests led to the recovery of gold jewelry, diamonds, silver, pistols, and burglary tools.

On December 19, a burglary was reported at a residence in Salisbury Park, where thieves broke in, stole 29 tolas of gold jewelry, 20 tolas of gold chains, and 4.5 kilograms of silver ornaments. Acting on leads, police scanned nearly 1,700 CCTV cameras, identifying the accused.

Ganesh Kathewade was arrested on January 1 from the Undri area. A seasoned burglar, he had committed multiple burglaries while disguising himself as a Zomato delivery boy to survey high-end societies. He also confessed to using the stolen loot for leisure trips and stock market investments.

Criminal Modus Operandi:

Kathewade would disguise himself in wigs, jackets, and caps to evade identification and travel long routes to confuse police tracking systems. His accomplice, Suresh Pawar, allegedly pawned the stolen jewelry with local jewelers using Bhimsingh Rajput as a middleman.

Pawar, a former deputy sarpanch and accused in a murder case, had stored two pistols and live rounds for personal protection, which were recovered during the raid. Rajput, a goldsmith specializing in crafting nose rings, assisted in converting the stolen items into cash by pawning them with jewelers.

Recovery Details:

• Gold Jewelry: 860 grams

• Diamonds: 150 pieces

• Silver: 3.5 kilograms

• Weapons: 3 pistols, 5 live rounds

• Other Items: A two-wheeler and burglary equipment

Under the guidance of Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner Ranjankumar Sharma, and Deputy Commissioner Praveenkumar Patil, a team led by Senior Inspector Yuvraj Nandre and API Rahul Kolambikar conducted the operation. Commissioner Kumar praised the technical and fieldwork, stating, "The meticulous analysis of CCTV footage and coordinated ground efforts ensured the swift resolution of this case."