Burglar avoids CCTVS, finally gets caught

MUMBAI: A 28-year-old man, who targeted buildings that had no CCTV cameras installed or security guards, to commit burglary saw his luck run out recently — after he was captured in the CCTV of a building that was near the one he had broken into.

Samta Nagar police retrieved the footage and arrested Ibrahim Shaikh, 28, from his residence in Nalasopara on Saturday.

This is the 18th time Shaikh has been arrested in a burglary case. Police said he committed most of his burglaries in houses located near railway stations, as he would be able to escape with the stolen goods easily.

On the afternoon of January 10, Shaikh allegedly broke into a flat on the second floor of a building in Ashok Nagar in Kandivli (East). He decamped with gold valuables worth ₹2.56 lakh.

Though the building in which Shaikh committed the burglary did not have guards or CCTV, police found out that he had been captured in the CCTV of a nearby building.

Police, who already knew Shaikh as he is a history-sheeter, traced him to Nalasopara. Shaikh kept changing his residence every time he was arrested, police said. “Shaikh had recently come out of jail after completing his punishment in a burglary case. He has cases against him at Matunga, VP Road, Borivli, Kasturba DB Marg and Tardeo,” said an official from Samta Nagar police station. Senior PI Raju Kasbe confirmed the arrest. Kasbe said, “He has been remanded in police custody .”

JAYPRAKASH S NAIDU