Flight-landing thieves: Kerala Police nabs 'chori parivar' targeting jewelleries

KOCHI: A gang known as the 'Chori family' arrived in Kerala, executing thefts in both small and large jewelry stores with tactical precision. Arriving on via flight and accumulating a substantial amount of jewelry from a place, they swiftly depart, leading lavish lifestyles. Within 24 hours of receiving complaints, Kalamasery police apprehended the culprits.

The arrested people are Ashwin Vijay Solanki (44) and Jotsana Suraj Kachhave (30) from Pune City Yewada, Maharashtra, Suchithra Kishore Salunkhe (52) from Solapur, Maharashtra and Jaya Sachin Badgujar (42) from Thane, Maharashtra. The police recovered stolen jewelry worth Rs 66,000 from Kalamasery and a gold necklace worth Rs 1.85 lakh from a jewelry shop on MG Road. The robbers, who operated like a family, have criminal records in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Ashwin Vijay Solanki was released two months ago after serving a sentence for theft.

The robberies took place in jewelry shops within the Kalamasery and Ernakulam Central Police Station areas. The gang, appearing as a well-to-do family, deceived jewelers by posing as tourists interested in purchasing high-quality gold jewelry. They meticulously inspected each ornament, discreetly pocketing valuables while feigning interest. Subsequently, they departed, citing unavailability of desired items. Upon discovering missing items and reviewing CCTV footage, employees alerted the police leading to the swift arrest of the culprits by a team led by Pradeep Kumar.

To evade police detection, the gang selected jewelry stores located 40-50 km away from their lodgings. However, their efforts were thwarted when information about their modus operandi was swiftly disseminated through the Indian Police Group (IPG) WhatsApp group, enabling their arrest in Thrissur while preparing for another robbery. All four suspects were remanded by the court.