Pune rural police nab temple thief, responsible for 11 temple thefts around Pune

Pune Rural Police on August 06 arrested a notorious history-sheeter responsible for committing thefts at various temples. The thief was responsible for thefts at 11 temples around Pune, and items worth Rs 4 lakh seized from him.

The arrest has solved 11 cases registered across various police stations within the Pune Rural Police and Ahmednagar District Police jurisdictions.

Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune District Rural, informed of the arrest and showed the stolen goods during a press conference organized at the rural police headquarters in Pune on Tuesday.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Khed Division Amol Mandve, Senior Police Inspector of Local Crime Branch Avinash Shilimkar, Assistant Police Inspector of Pargaon Factory Police Station Netaji Gandhare, Sub-Inspector of Police Bhausaheb Lokre were also present.

Pankaj Deshmukh further said that the incidents of temple theft had increased in the eastern part of Ambegaon taluka, Shirur and Khed taluka in Pune district since last few days. The theft incidents took place at Bhairavanath Jogeshwari Temple in Shingwe, Devi’s Temple in Lakhangaon, Hanuman Temple in Mandlewadi, Bolhai Mate Temple in Jarkarwadi, Kalamjai Temple in Pondewadi within the Pargaon Factory Police Station limits.

The arrested suspect had committed thefts at 11 temples in Ambegaon, Shirur, Shikrapur, and Khed areas and had been under the surveillance of the Pune Rural Police for some time.

Interestingly the thief committed one theft naked, wearing just a nappie and mask covering his face to avoid detection due to clothes etc.

A case was registered against him at Pargaon Karkhana Police Station under BNS Sections 331 (punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking) and 305 (theft in a dwelling house, means of transportation, or place of worship, etc.). During the investigation, the Pargaon Karkhana Police managed to arrest the thief.

According to police reports, there have been numerous temple thefts in the Pune District over the past few days, leading to several cases being registered. The Pargaon Karkhana Police began a thorough investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from various locations over the past few months. Through confidential sources and technical investigation, the police identified the thief as Vinayak Damu Jite. Intel indicated that he was in the Shikrapur area, and a trap was set to nab him.

Initially providing vague answers, Jite eventually confessed to the thefts after further interrogation. The temples targeted included Shree Bhairavnath Jogeshwari Temple in Shingave, Devi Temple in Lakhangaon, Hanuman Temple in Mandalewadi, and Bolhai Mata Temple in Jarkarwadi, all under the Pargaon Karkhana Police Station jurisdiction.

Additionally, Jite admitted to thefts at Shrinath Maskoba Temple in Shikrapur, Wadjai Mata Temple in Shikrapur, Kanhersar Yemai Temple in Rajgurunagar, Kalubai Temple in Shirur, Tukai Mata Devi Temple in Ranjangaon, and Khandoba and Kalanjmai Temples in Ghodegaon. He also targeted Tukai Temple and Khandoba Temples in Ahmednagar District.

The arrest has solved three cases registered at Pargaon Karkhana, one each at Ghodegaon, Khed, Shirur, Ranjangaon, Supa, and Nagar MIDC Police Stations, and two at Shikrapur.

This operation was conducted under the guidance of Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh, Additional Superintendent of Police Ramesh Chopade, Khed Sub-Divisional Police Officer Amol Mandave, and Police Inspector Avinash Shilimkar from the Local Crime Branch (LCB).