MUMBAI: Three women from Madhya Pradesh were arrested in Andheri for allegedly carrying out two robberies within 48 hours, stealing Rs 75,500 in cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 3 lakh, police said.The accused were identified as Sonam Baneri (37), Anmol Jagvir Singh Sisodia (27) and Shweta Sisodia (27), all residents of the same village in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district. Police said the trio committed the offences within three days of arriving in Mumbai.According to police, the women travelled to Mumbai every few months, stayed in lodges for a week to 15 days and targeted crowded markets. They allegedly shared the stolen property equally among themselves, while their husbands stayed back in the village to farm and look after their children.“It was learnt that they travelled to Mumbai every alternate months or four months, stayed in a lodge for a week to 15 days, targeted busy market places, and shared the booty equally among themselves. While their husbands do farming and took care of household chores and children,” a police officer said.Police said the trio dressed in soiled clothes and mingled with shoppers to avoid suspicion before distracting their targets and stealing their valuables.In the first incident on August 7, the women allegedly targeted Parijat Gawli (45), an Andheri resident, while she was shopping at Jagruti Sweets in Andheri Market. They allegedly stole a gold chain worth Rs 3 lakh from her purse.The following day, on August 8, the trio allegedly targeted Vasudevi Sitavadekar (31) at Manish Market in Andheri (West). Police said they distracted her and stole her purse containing Rs 75,500.“The trio’s arrest has helped us in solving two recent cases in which they have managed to rob Rs 3.75 lakhs in two days after their arrival in Mumbai. They wander around the city markets in soiled dress and appear normal before they steal with handiwork after distracting the victims’ attention,” a police officer of the DN Nagar police station said.The women were arrested after police received information through technical analysis of mobile numbers linked to the suspects. Investigators learnt that they were preparing to leave Mumbai for their native place with the stolen valuables.A police team tracked them to the Bandra railway station area, where they were detained with assistance from the Bandra Railway Police’s Women’s Wing. Police said they were staying at a lodge near Bandra railway station.Police recovered Rs 50,000 in cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 3 lakh from the accused, linking the recoveries to the two robbery cases.DCP (West Zone-2) Mohit Garg supervised the investigation, while the team was led by ACP Shashikiran Kashid, senior inspector Sachin Gawas, inspector Sachin Khondre and sub-inspectors Sharad Khatmode and Gaurav Malusure, along with other personnel.Police said the three travelled in unreserved train compartments and allegedly relied on their appearance and crowded marketplaces to avoid suspicion.“This is the first time the trio have been caught. They claimed this is their first robbery, which we did not believe. They are professional thieves and work together in tandem, with one distracting the target while another steals. We have sought details from other police stations about similar robberies in which women thieves were involved and are examining old CCTV footage to establish whether the trio had been involved in such cases in the past,” a police officer said.Police are also seeking information about the three women from authorities in their native village in Madhya Pradesh.
