MUMBAI, March 31: Five suspects have been arrested in connection with Monday's jewellery heist at Borivli (West), the biggest in the city in recent years. Weilding choppers and revolvers, seven thieves rode off in a Tata Sumo with currency and ornaments worth Rs 94 lakh from jeweller Rasikbhai Shah's Giriraj Jewellers at Saibaba Nagar.Zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr K Venkatesham told Express Newsline that the eyewitness descriptions of the men fleeing the shop matched those of the suspects, who were picked up from their residences in Borivli this morning. The thieves, in their mid-20s, wrested the keys to a cupboard from Shah at gunpoint. When he resisted, one of them stabbed Shah in his right hand. The booty comprised 15 kg of gold ornaments worth Rs 60 lakh, diamond jewellery valued at Rs Rs 30 lakh and silver worth Rs 4 lakh.
The thieves also took Rs 30,000 in cash, the proceeds of the day's sales.
"The gang appears to prefer soft targets as jewellers seldom resist such attacks. Withthe real estate business in the doldrums, Mumbai's underworld is gold-digging in the bullion trade to augment their finances, a senior police officer said.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
