The Matunga police have busted a gang of robbers who paid teenaged boys to steal for them so that they would not be not be charged for the crimes.
Satish Bodade, 22, Balsubramaniam Pillai alias Super Mani, 20, and M Amburaj Harijan, 19, were arrested on Friday and charged with burglary, chain-snatching and stealing vehicles in Sion and Matunga for the last seven months, said senior police inspector Suresh Parab of the Matunga police station.
The five boys, who had been engaged by the trio to steal bikes and snatch chains, were also detained. The boys, who are 16 to 17 years of age, were later sent to the Dongri observation centre. They are all school dropouts.
“The local court remanded the three in police custody till Monday,” said Parab. The police also recovered eight motorcycles, two gold chains, three mobile phones and six swords from the accused.
The swords were stolen from a dance class at Brahamanwadi on K Subramaniam Road in Matunga on the night of April 25, said a police officer, on condition of anonymity. The dance class owner had brought the swords for his students on rent for a mythological drama which was to be held at Shanmukhananda Hall on April 27, the officer added.
The three men would sell the stolen items and splurge the money on holidays, said assistant police inspector Srikant Ramdas.
When asked why the gang members used juveniles to commit the robberies, Ramdas said when police detain juveniles they cannot question or interrogate them and the main accused can easily get away.
