Pune: The Sinhagad Road Police have arrested a thief who had been stealing gold chains from jewelry shops by pretending to be a customer. The accused, identified as Kapil Jayaram Chavan (39), a resident of Shastrinagar, Kothrud, has confessed to committing four thefts. The police have recovered stolen gold worth ₹3.64 lakh from his possession.

Chavan targeted jewelry shops in the Dhayari area of Sinhagad Road and other localities. Under the pretense of purchasing a gold chain as a birthday gift, he would gain the staff's trust. After wearing the chain in front of a mirror, he would take advantage of their distraction to flee on his two-wheeler.

Over the past month, three to four incidents of similar thefts were reported, leading to an investigation by the Sinhagad Road Police. CCTV footage from the shops provided crucial leads, revealing Chavan’s involvement in the crimes.

Once the suspect’s identity was confirmed, the police tracked his movements and received information about his visit to the Kothrud area. A trap was laid, and Chavan was successfully apprehended. The operation was executed under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam and Assistant Commissioner of Police Ajay Parmar.

Senior Police Inspector Dilip Daingade, along with a team comprising Sub-Inspectors Santosh Bhandwalkar, Sanjay Shinde, Anna Kekaan, Uttam Taru, Pankaj Deshmukh, and Deva Chavan, played a significant role in the investigation and arrest.

With the recovery of stolen gold chains worth ₹3.64 lakh, the police believe Chavan’s arrest will provide relief to the jewelry shop owners in the area. Further investigations are ongoing to uncover any additional thefts he may have committed.