Mumbai: Man caught on CCTV stealing high-end shoes from Santacruz society

Screengrab of the CCTV footage shows a man stealing a pair of shoes from outside a flat in a Santacruz building

A man was caught on CCTV stealing pairs of shoes from a residential society in Santacruz East. The incident took place on Sunday night, where an unknown person allegedly stole three pairs of shoes from Aniket Tower, located at Yashwant Nagar. The entire incident was caught on the society's CCTV cameras. Vakola police have registered a non-cognizable (NC) complaint and have begun their investigation.

The primary complainant in the case, Kamlesh Kumawat, who resides on the fourth floor of Aniket Tower, reported that his newly purchased branded shoes worth Rs 4,200 were stolen. In similar incidents, two other residents also reported losing their expensive shoes from the same building.

Reports suggest that shoe-stealing gangs are becoming increasingly active in the city, targeting expensive branded shoes left outside flats. According to police sources, these stolen shoes are often resold at Dedh Galli, a popular street shoe market, near Chor Bazaar for a fraction of their original price.

Speaking with mid-day, Kumawat said, "On Sunday night at around 9.30 pm, an unknown man entered our society and went to the ninth floor. He walked down the staircase, removed a polythene bag, and quietly opened the shoe rack outside my flat. He took my newly purchased shoes, valued at R4,200, and packed them into his bag before escaping. Fortunately, I had installed a CCTV camera outside my flat for safety, which captured the entire incident."

"I run an imitation jewelry business, and on Monday, when I was leaving for work, I noticed my shoes were missing. Upon returning home, I reviewed the CCTV footage and saw the man stealing. I approached Vakola police on Tuesday to file an NC complaint," he added.

Another resident, Amol Chavan, said, "I also lost my expensive shoes worth Rs 7,200, which I had purchased recently. I did not file a police complaint as there are no CCTV cameras outside my flat. However, I am certain my shoes were stolen, not misplaced."

It was reported that a third resident also lost a pair of expensive shoes, according to other society members. A police officer from Vakola police station said, "We have registered an NC in this case since the value of the stolen items is under R5,000. We are investigating and pursuing leads to identify and apprehend the suspected thief."