Pune: The Singhgad Road police have arrested a thief who stole a mangalsutra from an elderly woman by pretending to ask for directions.

The incident took place on September 12 in the vicinity of the Swami Narayan temple, where the victim was approached by two men seeking assistance.

The arrested suspect has been identified as Om Mahadev Yadav, a 19-year-old from Kordewadi in Beed district, who is currently residing in Wagholi. The police recovered the stolen mangalsutra, weighing 21 grams and valued at ₹1 lakh, which Yadav had hidden in his residence.

Following the theft, the investigation team, led by Police Sub-Inspector Santosh Bhandwalkar, along with constables Deva Chavan and Amol Patil, utilized technical analysis to track down the accused.

They received a tip-off regarding Yadav's location near a building close to JSPM College in Wagholi. Upon verification, the police acted quickly and apprehended him at the specified location.

During the arrest, the police managed to recover the mangalsutra from Yadav's home, leading to the closure of this case.

The successful operation was conducted under the guidance of key officials including Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ajay Parmar, and Senior Police Inspector Raghavendra Singh Kshirsagar.

The police department commended the efforts of the team, which included Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Nikam, Police Sub-Inspector Santosh Bhandwalkar, and other personnel who contributed to the operation.