Passion for Facebook updates leads to gold thief getting caught after 7 years

After tracking him for nearly seven years, Mumbai Police finally caught up to a man who went off the grid along with 2 kg of stolen gold.

Identified as Sandeep Din Mohammed Mohanto alias Dauji Sharma, the 36-year-old accused was arrested from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh earlier this week. Gold ornaments weighing 1,900 valued at ₹1.5 crores were recovered from his possession.

Soon after he moved to Mumbai in 2010, Sandeep gained the trust of a local businessman. The businessman enabled him to open a vada pao stall in Govandi. Soon after, Sandeep converted to Islam.

The partnership went sour in 2012 when the businessman had to leave for Solapur in a haste owing to a death in the family. In his absence, he asked Sandeep to check on his flat in Andheri MIDC.

Sandeep found the keys to the locker and disappeared with 2 kg gold. According to a report, he discarded his cell phone and changed his identity. He then made his way to Gujarat and then to Rajasthan before settling down in Mathura.

After reaching Mathura, he got married and fathered two children. He also bought a house and a Chinese eatery. After attempts to track him down failed, MIDC police and crime branch filed a closure report under A summary.