Father scoped locked homes, son stole: Maharashtra 'family burglary gang' busted

A case of a “family-run burglary gang” has come to light in Maharashtra’s Kalyan, where a father allegedly conducted reconnaissance of locked homes and used his own children to carry out thefts and house break-ins, police said.

The Mahatma Phule Chowk Police in Kalyan have arrested three accused, including the alleged mastermind and his son, while two minor boys involved in the crimes have been sent to a juvenile correction home. Police also recovered gold jewellery worth around Rs 21.6 lakh from the accused and claimed to have solved four burglary cases in the area.

The case came to light during the investigation into a house break-in reported on May 8 at the residence of M Arvind Rajaram Pai in Rambaug Lane No 4 in Kalyan West. A case was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, at Mahatma Phule Chowk Police Station.

During the probe, police received crucial information through confidential sources, following which they arrested 19-year-old Kailas Vilas Bhalerao from Mohane in Ambivli on May 13. Two minor boys aged 14 and 15, who were allegedly with him during the operation, were also detained. The minors were later produced before the Bhiwandi Juvenile Court and sent to a juvenile home.

During interrogation, police discovered that the alleged gang was being operated by Kailas’s father, Vilas Bhalerao, along with his associate Deepak Jadhav.

According to investigators, Vilas worked as a sanitation worker while Deepak was employed as a labourer. Police alleged that the duo used their work as a cover to move around various housing societies and identify locked homes. They would allegedly gather detailed information about residents, including when families were away and how long houses remained locked.

This information was then allegedly passed on to the children, who would break into the houses and steal valuables.

Police further revealed that the minors spent the stolen cash on entertainment and leisure activities, while the gold and silver jewellery stolen during the burglaries was handed over to the adult accused. The jewellery was allegedly sold later for profit.

On the night of May 15, police arrested Vilas Bhalerao and Deepak Jadhav from the Ambivli area.

Investigators said the accused have confessed to involvement in three additional burglaries in Kalyan, helping police crack four theft cases in total.

Police recovered around 18 tolas of gold jewellery, including a mangalsutra, necklaces and gold bangles, collectively valued at approximately Rs 21.6 lakh.

Further investigation into the case is underway.