Pune: In a recent incident, thieves cut down and stole a sandalwood tree from the premises of a residential society on Law College Road.

The theft occurred in the middle of the night, and a complaint has been lodged by Manjusha Makarand Shete, a resident of Chhaya Society on Bhakti Marg, Law College Road. The incident was reported to Deccan Police Station.

The theft took place on Saturday night when the culprits entered the society and used a cutting tool to remove the sandalwood tree from the premises.

After the residents realized the tree had been stolen, a complaint was immediately filed with the police. The case is currently under investigation by Police Constable Chandane.

There has been a notable increase in sandalwood thefts across the city, with similar incidents occurring in areas such as Mukund Nagar, Market Yard, and Prabhat Road.

In one case on Prabhat Road, thieves even threatened a female lawyer with a weapon before stealing a sandalwood tree from her bungalow. Another incident involved the theft of a tree from the ammunition factory premises in Khadki. Despite the surge in these thefts, the police have not yet been able to catch the culprits responsible.

On September 16, a sandalwood tree was stolen from the premises of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), adding to a series of similar thefts in the city.

This theft took place in the compound of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), located within the university grounds. A security guard at the university lodged a formal complaint at Chatuhshrungi Police Station.