Mobile Tower Battery Theft Gang Busted in Vasai-Virar, ₹6 Lakh Worth Property Recovered
Vasai-Virar police arrest three insiders stealing telecom batteries worth lakhs.
Authorities in Vasai-Virar have neutralised a highly organised criminal syndicate specialising in the theft of high-value mobile tower batteries, arresting three individuals and recovering stolen property worth ₹6.12 lakh following an intensive investigation triggered by a major theft from an Indus Towers installation in Palghar district.
The case gained urgency after unknown miscreants stole twenty-four industrial-grade batteries, collectively valued at over ₹12 lakh, from a telecom tower located in Arshad Compound under Pelhar Police Station limits. Recognising the threat such crimes pose to critical communication infrastructure in one of Maharashtra’s fastest-growing urban corridors, Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble immediately constituted a special detection squad to trace and apprehend the perpetrators.
Meticulous analysis of CCTV footage, vehicle movement records, and insider intelligence revealed that the thefts were being executed by individuals with authorised access to tower sites. The accused were found to be employees of ARC Company, a contractor responsible for maintenance of mobile towers, giving them unrestricted entry and detailed knowledge of battery locations, security patterns, and optimal timing for strikes.
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Acting swiftly on verified leads, the Crime Detection Branch team led by Assistant Police Inspector Ramesh Waghchaure and Police Sub-Inspector Tukaram Bhople intercepted the gang’s Bolero pickup vehicle and arrested Aurangzeb Sarwar Ansari (19), Parvez Ghulam Rasul Shah (24), and Rafiq Aminsab Sheikh (38). During interrogation, the trio confessed to multiple thefts, leading to the recovery of batteries and associated equipment worth ₹6.12 lakh from hidden locations.
The operation, conducted under the direct oversight of Senior Police Inspector Sachin Kamble and Police Inspector (Crime) Shivaji Patil, involved exemplary coordination among Faujdar Yogesh Deshmukh, constables Tanaji Chavan, Valmik Patil, Abhijit Nevare, Ravi Wankhede, Ashok Parjane, Anil Waghmare, Wasim Sheikh, Amol Masse and others. By dismantling this insider-driven racket, the Vasai-Virar police have sent a strong message that thefts targeting essential public infrastructure will be met with decisive action.
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