The Meghwadi police in Mumbai have arrested a habitual chain-snatcher involved in over 25 cases across Mumbai, successfully solving a recent chain-snatching incident and recovering 100 per cent of the stolen property, police said.

According to the police, On July 21, 2025, Surekha Suresh Mayekar, a 75-year-old resident of Meghwadi, Jogeshwari (East), fell victim to a chain-snatching incident when three unidentified men stole her gold ornaments weighing approximately 5 tolas.

Based on her complaint, an FIR was registered at Meghwadi Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, said an official.

He said that an operation was conducted under the guidance of DCP (Zone 10) Datta Nalawade and ACP Sampatrao Patil. The team was led by Senior PI Sudhakar Humbe and PI (Crime) Shyam Pawar, with assistance from a team of crime detection officers including PSI Sudhir Ghadge, PSI Manoj Bhosale, API Govind Pawar, HC Rajesh Thakur, HC Gurunath Rathod, PC Avinash Kapse, PC Amit Lade, PC Akshay Satput, and PC Shubham Kharat, supported technically by HC Vishal Pisal.

“We reviewed over 100–150 CCTV recordings from 40–50 private and government cameras in the area. Clear images of the suspects were shown to the complainant, who identified him,” said an officer from Meghwadi Police Station.

Acting on a tip-off, the police traced the prime accused to the Tembhipada area in Bhandup (West). The accused, identified as Babu Ramesh Pawar alias Akash, is a notorious chain-snatcher with over 25 prior offences registered across Mumbai.

During interrogation, Pawar confessed to handing over the stolen ornaments to his mother-in-law. The police later recovered the full amount of gold through a formal panchanama, achieving complete recovery of the stolen items, police said.

This article first appeared on Mid Day