Crime Branch Unit 1 Arrests Two Serial Housebreakers, Seizes Gold, Diamonds and Cash
Nagpur: In a major breakthrough, the Nagpur Crime Branch Unit 1 has arrested two accused involved in a high-value house burglary in the Sadar area and recovered stolen property worth ₹3.34 crore. Investigations revealed that the prime accused used the proceeds of crime to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including expensive gym memberships, air travel for tourism, and stays in luxury hotels.
The burglary occurred between 7:45 pm on January 19 and 3:00 am on January 20 at a residence in Shirke Layout, Raj Nagar, under Sadar police limits. Complainant Baljinder Singh Inderjit Singh Nayar (56) had locked his house and travelled with his family to Kalmeshwar for a family function when unidentified burglars broke in by cutting the iron grill of a rear kitchen window.
The intruders entered the house and stole 247 tolas of gold ornaments, diamond jewellery sets, gold coins, necklaces and bracelets from a locker in the bedroom of the complainant’s mother. They also took away ₹65 lakh in cash belonging to the complainant’s brother from his bedroom. The total loss was initially estimated at ₹2.91 crore. A case was registered at Sadar Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Given the scale of the theft, senior police officials, forensic experts and the dog squad visited the scene. Acting on the Police Commissioner’s orders, the investigation was handed over to Crime Branch Unit 1, which formed three special teams. Through technical surveillance, route mapping and analysis of criminal records, police identified notorious housebreaker Rajnikant Chanore as the prime suspect.
Chanore, who had rented a flat in Hudkeshwar, went absconding the day after the burglary. Multiple teams were dispatched to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune as he kept changing locations. After three days of continuous tracking, police received specific input that the suspects were in the Bhosari area of Pimpri-Chinchwad, where a trap was laid.
Police detained Rajnikant Keshav Chanore (25) and his associate Pratap Gopal Urkude (26), both originally from Bhandara district and currently residing in Hudkeshwar, Nagpur. Searches of their possession and rented flat led to the seizure of 1,228 grams of gold ornaments, 197 grams of diamond jewellery, silver ornaments, ₹32.97 lakh in cash, burglary tools, gold-melting equipment, five mobile phones, a costly wristwatch and the Activa scooter used in the crime. The total value of seized property stands at ₹3,34,00,500.
Investigators said Chanore is a habitual offender who specifically targets posh localities after conducting reconnaissance. He typically uses rear entry points to break into houses. Police found that he maintained a lavish lifestyle, preferred branded goods, exercised at high-end gyms, and frequently travelled by air for vacations, staying in luxury hotels after committing thefts. He also used metallic moulds to melt stolen gold to avoid detection.
Chanore alone faces nine housebreaking cases in Nagpur, nine in Bhandara, two in Chandrapur and two in Bhilai and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, taking his total to 22 cases.
Both accused have been arrested and remanded to eight days of police custody. Further investigation is underway.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, Joint Commissioner of Police Naved Chandra Reddy, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) Rahul Maknikar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Narendra Hivare.
The Crime Branch Unit 1 team included Senior Police Inspector Dnyaneshwar Bhedodkar, Senior Police Inspector Rajabhau Jadhav, Sachin Bhonde, PSI Omprakash Kothe, API Vinod Deshmukh, Head Constables Nitin Vasanik, Hemant Lonare, Ravi Ahir, Sunit Gujar, Sharad Chambhare, Sushant Solanke, Manoj Tekam, Ritesh Tumdam, Ravindra Khedkar, Constables Kunal Gedam, Swapnil Khodke, Nitin Bopulkar, Mangesh Borkute, Azmat Sheikh, along with support from Head Constables Rajesh Mote and Mukesh Kanhake, Constable Rajesh Dhopte from Hudkeshwar Police Station, and Cyber Cell officers PSI Vivek Zhingre, Police Naik Ananta Kshirsagar, Parag Dhok and Shekhar Raghorte, and Dhiraj Panchbhave.
