Gujarat Police arrested a man accused of burgling a bungalow in Vapi's GIDC area and stealing gold and silver jewellery along with cash worth over ₹32 lakh from Dadar in Mumbai on 28 October 2026. The Valsad Local Crime Branch recovered stolen property valued at ₹18.28 lakh from the accused, police confirmed on Wednesday.

How the Burglary Unfolded

The break-in occurred on the night of 24 October at Bungalow No. A/4, Vraj Co-operative Housing Society, Vraj Row House, on Chharwada Road in Vapi. According to police, the accused cut through an iron window grille and broke a wooden window to gain entry into a first-floor bedroom. He allegedly removed jewellery weighing approximately 142.61 grams of gold and around 900 grams of silver, along with ₹12 lakh in cash from a wooden cupboard. The total value of stolen property was estimated at ₹32,62,482.

A case was registered under Sections 305(a) and 331(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 at Vapi GIDC police station.

The Investigation and Arrest

Investigators screened footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras along the route from the crime scene to Mumbai. Teams from the Valsad Local Crime Branch, its burglary squad, and Vapi GIDC police station also examined records of individuals linked to similar offences and employed technical analysis to zero in on a suspect. Acting on a tip-off received by a team led by Local Crime Branch Sub-Inspector J G Parmar, police traced and apprehended the accused in Dadar. He and the recovered property were subsequently handed over to Vapi GIDC police for further investigation.

Who Is the Accused

The arrested man has been identified as Atish alias Dancer, 38, a labourer residing in Virar East in Palghar district, Maharashtra. During questioning, he allegedly told investigators that he had travelled by train from Virar to Vapi roughly two days before the burglary. He allegedly climbed onto a sheet-metal roof, approached a first-floor window, cut the iron grille with a hacksaw blade and pried open the wooden window using a screwdriver before making off with the valuables. According to police, his modus operandi involved surveying a target property two or three days in advance, familiarising himself with the surroundings and then approaching the rear of a locked house to force entry.

Police records list 69 cases against the accused in Gujarat and Maharashtra — including in Umargam and multiple Mumbai police station jurisdictions — spanning 2005 to 2026. The charges include theft, housebreaking, robbery and cheating, among other offences.

What Was Recovered

The recovered items include three gold necklaces with earrings weighing 35.95 grams, valued at ₹4.75 lakh; two gold bangles weighing 32.32 grams, valued at ₹4.26 lakh; a gold chain worth ₹1.03 lakh; diamond-studded gold earrings valued at ₹78,000; a five-gram silver coin; ₹5,48,800 in cash; two mobile phones valued at ₹10,000; and a screwdriver and hacksaw blade allegedly used in the burglary. The total value of recovered property stands at ₹18,28,780.

What Happens Next

Further investigation is being conducted by Vapi GIDC police. The case highlights a cross-border criminal pattern, with Gujarat authorities coordinating with Maharashtra counterparts to track an accused who allegedly operated across state lines for over two decades. The outcome of the probe could shed light on whether the accused acted alone or as part of a wider network.