Thane police return recovered valuables worth ₹9.35 crore

Thane police in Maharashtra, India, have returned stolen or missing property worth ₹9.35 crore ($1.47 million) to their rightful owners. The items, including jewellery, electronic devices and vehicles, were recovered by 35 police stations in the area. The handover took place at a special ceremony to mark the Maharashtra Police anniversary.

Thane

Thane, India - January ,08, 2024: On the occasion of Police Foundation Day, Thane Police has recovered the stolen goods and jewelery of the citizens and returned them to the citizens ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Monday, January ,08, 2024. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo )

40-year-old Prashanti Malik, a resident of Ghodbunder Road in Thane, was disheartened when the gold jewellery gifted by her late father during her wedding was stolen from her house. She did not believe that the police could actually recover the valuables, and was not even ready to lodge a theft case. But, her joy had no bounds on Monday when Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre and his team presented her with the same gold jewellery, recovered from her maid.

Malik was just one of the many Thane residents who were handed back their stolen or missing properties recovered by the police on Monday at a special ceremony held at Dr Kashinath Ghanekar auditorium in Vasant Vihar in Thane West. Items including jewellery, electronic devices like mobile phones, laptops and vehicles lost or stolen worth ₹9.35 crore recovered by 35 police stations of Thane police commissionerate were returned to their rightful owners in the presence of Dumbre.

The occasion was the Maharashtra Police anniversary, also celebrated as “Police Raising Day”. Maharashtra police was set up on January 2, 1961 and then Prime Minister presented the state police flag to the police on this day. The Police Raising Day is celebrated on January 2 each year and several citizen-centric activities are held to mark the occasion.

On the occasion of Police Foundation Day, Thane Police has recovered the stolen goods and jewelery of the citizens and returned them to the citizens ,in Thane, in Mumbai, India, on, Monday, January ,08, 2024. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

Speaking to HT an emotional Malik said, “Two months ago, my jewelry worth ₹3 lakh was stolen from my home. Initially, I didn’t know it was my maid, but I was not in state to handle this loss because the jewellery was a gift by my father during my wedding. He had bought it with his hard earned money and was precious to me.”

Malik said her family asked her to file an FIR immediately. “But, I didn’t actually expect that I would get it back. I had heard that recovering stolen goods was not easy. I still filed an FIR. After nearly a month, I got a call from police to come and verify my jewellery as they have nabbed the accused.”

“I am really thankful to Thane police for returning this to me. It is more important than just the monetary value of this jewellery,” she said after senior officials handed her the valuables as neatly wrapped and labelled.

Similarly grateful to the police was 56-year-old Thane resident Vijay Chandgude who lost cash ₹25 lakh in May 2023 to swindlers who lured him to invest in a business opportunity and then fled with the cash. “The accused told me that they have contacts with nationalised banks who auction gold jewellery and they could give it to me with the GST bill but the deal would be all cash. But, when I reached the spot, some fake police turned up and confiscated my bag and ran away.,” said Chandgude adding, “This money was part of my savings for the past 10 years and I was very distraught when it was stolen in this manner. Thankfully, the Srinagar police recovered most of the amount after arresting the accused. I am really thankful to the police and each member of the team.”

Another Thane resident was very happy after he got his mobile phone three years after it was lost during a visit to the market. He with no hopes of recovering the phone and could not believe it when he got a call that his phone will be returned soon.

Apart from handover ceremony, the Srinagar police station had organised a painting competition for children. 423 students from 19 schools run by Thane Municipal corporation participated in the competition which had “Daughter’s Rescue”, “Daughter’s Education”, “Gram Swachhta Abhiyan”, “Road accidents” “Increasing Traffic in the City”, and “Maharashtra Police - a Friend of the People” as topics.