3 men who stole copper, oil from MSEDCL transformers in Palghar arrested

MUMBAI: The Mira Bhayander – Vasai Virar (MBVV) police crime branch on Wednesday arrested three notorious criminals who allegedly stole oil and copper from electrical transformers installed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) in the Palghar district, including Vasai Virar cities. Two were arrested from Uttar Pradesh and the third, their associate, was arrested from Panvel.

The MSEDCL filed a complaint with the Naigaon police last month after oil and copper wires were stolen from their transformers in the Jadhavwadi, Kolhi, Kaman, and Chinchoti areas of Naigaon. After the complaint, the Crime Branch Unit 2 started investigating the case and alerted their informers.

During the investigation, with help from CCTV footage in the city and tip-offs from informers, the police identified three people who stole from the transformers. Technical analysis revealed the identity of the two accused and their location in Uttar Pradesh. The crime branch arrested Obedulla Alam Khan, 33, from Kabir Nagar and Anil Ambika Yadav, 34, from Siddharthnagar.

After their arrest, the police recovered four dismantled transformers, 650 kgs of copper wire, and 20 litres of oil from them.

During interrogation, the accused admitted to having formed a gang to carry out the thefts in Mandvi, Naigaon, and Wada. They told the police that they had dismantled five transformers in Palghar. One of their associates, Jaisingh Kishorlal Chavan, 37, a rickshaw driver, was arrested from Panvel.