The Vakola police have arrested a man accused of stealing expensive shoes from a residential society in Santacruz on Sunday night. The police were able to recover the stolen shoes before they could be sold in the market. The accused, identified as Salim Shaikh, a resident of Kurla, has a history of thefts and was previously arrested by Kurla police a few months ago.
Shaikh, who is currently unemployed, allegedly stole the shoes from Aniket Tower located in Santacruz. According to the police, Shaikh entered the society around 9.30 pm, made his way to the top floor, and then walked down to the fourth floor, where he stole a pair of shoes.
The owner of the stolen shoes, Kamlesh Kumawat, who is in the imitation jewellery business, reported that his newly purchased shoes worth Rs 4,200 were missing on Monday morning. After reviewing CCTV footage from cameras installed outside his flat, Kumawat saw an unknown man stealing his shoes. He immediately informed the Vakola police.
The officers tracked Shaikh down at his residence in Kurla. Senior Inspector Prakash Khandekar of Vakola police station said, “Salim used to sell stolen shoes in the Kurla and Vakola markets, where second-hand goods are sold on the streets. He would typically sell shoes worth Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for just Rs 200-300.”
A police officer said, “Shaikh is knowledgeable about branded shoes and their prices, but many victims do not report stolen shoes to the police.” The investigation revealed that Shaikh had been stealing shoes from various societies in Santacruz, Kurla, Khar, Vile Parle, Andheri, and other areas. So far, only one pair of shoes have been recovered.
According to police sources, Shaikh works with other individuals who purchase stolen shoes. Shoes priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000 or higher are sold to middlemen, with Shaikh receiving 10 to 20 per cent. These shoes are transported to Chor Bazaar, where they are sold at half price. A police source said, “The sneakers, leather, and sports shoes from brands of Adidas, Nike, Red Carpet leather, and Skechers shoes are highly in demand in the market.”
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