THANE: A 28-year-old Karnataka-based woman who used to travel to Mumbai during festive seasons and target female commuters wearing jewellery on railway premises was arrested before she could return home, police officials informed on Wednesday.
Police inspector Ashok Holkar at the crime branch unit-2 of the Thane railway police informed the lady accused, who is a native of Gulbarga and a mother of five, is a habitual offender and travels to Mumbai during festive season like Ganeshotsav and Diwali to target female commuters wearing heavy jewellery.
It is learnt the accused stays in the city till she meets her target of loot and then returns home by train to sell the stolen ornaments at her native village.
“Her modus operandi involved identifying targets, especially women travelling alone or with luggage and children, and then trailed them till they reached a crowded spot like platforms or coaches and later stealthily stole the ornaments and escaped. She has been involved in the crime for a long time and we will investigate the cases soon,” informed Holkar.
She, however, ran out of luck after a 22-year-old Ulhasnagar commuter who was targeted aboard a running train in May this year approached the police who started investigations.
The police said they were probing the case when they were tipped off about the accused.
“Our sources informed us that the accused was about to board a train to Karnataka from Kurla last week, following which we immediately laid a trap and intercepted and arrested her after she confessed to her crime,” said the police.
Police inspector Ashok Holkar at the crime branch unit-2 of the Thane railway police informed the lady accused, who is a native of Gulbarga and a mother of five, is a habitual offender and travels to Mumbai during festive season like Ganeshotsav and Diwali to target female commuters wearing heavy jewellery.
It is learnt the accused stays in the city till she meets her target of loot and then returns home by train to sell the stolen ornaments at her native village.
“Her modus operandi involved identifying targets, especially women travelling alone or with luggage and children, and then trailed them till they reached a crowded spot like platforms or coaches and later stealthily stole the ornaments and escaped. She has been involved in the crime for a long time and we will investigate the cases soon,” informed Holkar.
She, however, ran out of luck after a 22-year-old Ulhasnagar commuter who was targeted aboard a running train in May this year approached the police who started investigations.
The police said they were probing the case when they were tipped off about the accused.
“Our sources informed us that the accused was about to board a train to Karnataka from Kurla last week, following which we immediately laid a trap and intercepted and arrested her after she confessed to her crime,” said the police.