The police stumbled onto the gang's activities with the arrest of two persons who had stolen gold ornaments and cash from an Andheri flat on May 19. Jiva alias Raju Chandrashekhar (19) and Kumar alias Suresh Tanaji Devendra (25) soon split the beans during interrogation, revealing their `speciality'. Two other gang members are still absconding, and have reportedly fled the city, informed Suresh Nalawade, inspector (crime), Juhu police station.

The gang had been looting a slew of schools in the western suburbs either during the vacations or after the school shut for the day over the last couple of years. The modus operandi was simple:tie up the watchman, then ransack the office where the school's money is generally stored. Schools like Gokhalibai High School at Irla, Cosmopolitan School at Andheri and Swami Muktanand High School at Santacruz have had their safes wiped clean by the gang in the past.

Immediately after the robbery, the members would head out of town and return when things cooled down, added Nalawade. Of the two arrested, Kumar had been arrested by the Juhu police nearly two years ago. The rest of the gang members had a record of committing robberies and house breaking in the western suburbs, said Nalawade.

One of the robberies had even claimed the life of a school watchman, who was stabbed as he tried to prevent the robbers from looting the Mukhtantar School at Veera Desai Road, Andheri, on October 22, 1997. The incident, in which the robbers made away with Rs 40,000, had led to waves of protests among area residents, who had demanded that the police provide the schools security.

The same gang had also attempted tobreak into St Joseph's School, S V Road, Vile Parle in February. Although the robbers were scared away by the alarm raised by the nuns, the incident had sparked off fears among missionaries as it came close on the heels of the murder of missionary Graham Staines and his sons in Orissa, added Nalawade.

The case is now being investigated under the supervision of senior inspector Ramesh Sirnaik, Juhu police station and KL Prasad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone 7). The case will soon be handed over to Oshiwara police for further investigations into the robbery and murder case.