Sumeet Bakrania's car was stolen from outside the gate of Malad and Bangur Nagar police stations
The presence of nearly 50 policemen didn't deter a thief from stealing a car parked right outside the Malad police station, which shares its entrance gate with the Bangur Nagar police station. The Malad police have registered a case and are also trying to find the accused, who managed to drive away with the car from right under their noses.
The incident occurred in the wee hours of Friday, when Sumeet Bakrania, a Malad-based businessman, had gone to register a complaint with the Malad police. "I had gone to the police station to help my friend register a complaint related to a harassment case in his society. I parked my vehicle right outside the station's gate at 1.15 am. When I returned 15 minutes later, it was gone," said the 28-year-old.
Malad police station and Bangur police are next to each other, and have a common entry and exit gate. A couple of Bakrania's other friends were also accompanying him and were waiting outside the police station. They saw the accused drive away with the red Santro, but assumed he was an acquaintance of Bakrania's and, hence, didn't stop him.
'Towed away?'When Bakrania returned to the police station, this time to register his own case, police asked him to check with the Traffic department to see if they had towed away his vehicle. Luckily for Bakrania, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vasant Dhoble was on his night round and happened to ask him why he had come to the police station.
On hearing about the incident, Dhoble quizzed the on-duty officer about whether the Traffic department towed away vehicles in the wee hours. He also expressed shock as to how a car had got stolen from right outside two police stations with nearly 50 policemen present on the premises. Dhoble then got the Malad police to register the theft and also informed the control room.
Police, though, are yet to find any leads. Bakrania added, "I am sure the accused was captured by CCTV cameras installed outside the police station gate. My car was stolen from outside their police station and cops have no clue. I have also lost some important documents that were kept in the car."
Milind Khetle, senior police inspector, Malad police station, said, "We have registered the case and are taking the help of the CCTV footage to nab the accused."