Pune police have apprehended a 19-year-old man and his juvenile accomplice in connection with a series of temple donation box thefts across the city.

The suspect arrested by the Crime Branch after an investigation linked him to at least four incidents of breaking into temple donation boxes, including the theft at Sant Tukaram Maharaj Paduka Mandir. His juvenile accomplice has also been detained.

The arrested suspect has been identified as Sahil Ashok Mane, 19, a resident of Indira Gandhi Vasahat, Aundh Road. Recently, the thief and his accomplice had stolen Rs. 11,000 from the donation box at the Pragatisheel Mitra Mandal Ganpati Temple in Narayan Peth.

The Crime Branch's Unit One was investigating the case, and they obtained CCTV footage from the area. The footage captured the thieves breaking into the donation box and fleeing the scene.

The police began their investigation based on the vehicle's license plate. The juvenile accomplice was apprehended in the Aundh area.

During questioning, he confessed to assisting Sahil Mane in breaking into the donation boxes at the Sant Tukaram Paduka Temple on Ferguson Road, the Shaniwar Peth Public Navratrotsav Trust, and the Pragatisheel Mandal Temple and stealing the cash.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police Shailesh Balkawade, Deputy Commissioner Nikhil Pingale, and Assistant Commissioner Ganesh Ingle, with Senior Police Inspector Shabbir Syed, Datta Sonawane, Nilesh Sable, Mahesh Bamgude, Mahendra Tupsundar, Anna Mane, Shashikant Darekar, Abhinav Ladkat, Vitthal Salunkhe, and Ruksana Nadaf involved in the action.