Mumbai Crime: Thief with MBA arrested for 26 robberies

Himmant Peter D'Rebello

A 49-year-old MBA degree holder has been held for 26 robberies at the various buildings he used to live in. The police claim that his modus operandi was to enter through the dry balcony and rob the premises.

The accused has been identified as Himmant Peter D'Rebello, who has been arrested for stealing gold and diamond jewellery worth R10.67 lakh from the house of a neighbour, Tanay Agarwal, 30. A robbery case has been registered with the Chandannagar police, who have found out that he already has 25 other housebreaking cases registered at Yerawada, Mundhwa and Chandannagar.

D'Rebello and his software techie wife have two children. He was earlier arrested in an attempted robbery case because of which his wife lost her job. Senior Inspector Rajendra Mulik of Chandannagar police station said, "The arrested person is highly educated and he and his family live in a rented flat. He used to take flats on rent and recee the area, making a note of people going on vacations or picnics."

Sub-inspector Shridhar Bhosale, who is investigating the case, said, "The accused would then enter the house via the balcony. Agarwal's house was robbed on May 6 when he and his family were away on a picnic. We set up a trap for him and caught him when he was trying to sell of the jewellery he had robbed from Agarwal's house. During investigations, we discovered that he had robbed 26 other houses in a similar manner."

On Thursday, D'Rebello was produced before the judicial magistrate court and remanded in police custody till May 14. Mid-day tried to get in touch with his wife, but she refused to speak on the issue.

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