Two women arrested for theft under the pretext of begging in Ulhasnagar

The accused at Ulhasnagar Police Station. Pic/Navneet Bharate

The first incident occurred at Valmiki Nagar in Ulhasnagar, according to police officers. The women, accompanied by a baby, allegedly used the child as a distraction to execute their thefts. The complainant, who later approached the police, had CCTV cameras installed near her house that captured the women entering her residence.

In her statement, the complainant recounted that one of the women handed her the baby, diverting her attention, while the other attempted to steal her mobile phone. The second woman also allegedly searched the house during this distraction. Realising their intentions, the complainant confronted them and demanded they leave her house.

When the complainant discussed the incident with her neighbors, they reported experiencing similar encounters involving the same women carrying a baby.

Following the registration of an FIR, the police launched an investigation under the supervision of DCP Sachin Gore (Ulhasnagar Division). Special teams analysed the CCTV footage to identify the suspects. Initially, the police suspected that the women were a part of a child-stealing gang. However, the investigation revealed that the baby was being used as a prop to divert attention while the thefts were carried out.

The accused have been identified as Raveen Ramesh Waghere, 40, and Khushi Nut, 20. They were arrested from the Ambernath area, said Vishnu Tamhne, senior inspector, Ulhasnagar Police Station. The women, who do not have a permanent residence, confessed to the crimes during questioning. The police have recovered the stolen mobile phones and cash from their possession.

The accused were produced in court and have been remanded to judicial custody, Tamhne added.