Police in Thane, Maharashtra, have successfully dismantled a notorious gang that specifically targeted elderly individuals to steal gold jewelry valued at millions of rupees. This operation by the Thane Police's Crime Branch led to the arrest of three gang members along with a jeweler from Mumbai, culminating in the revelation of 12 criminal cases associated with them. These cases had been reported across various police stations in Thane district and neighboring Mumbai.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amar Singh Jadhav explained that the gang's modus operandi involved winning the trust of elderly victims through conversation. The suspects would often introduce themselves as police officers or helpful bystanders, instilling fear about recent thefts in the area. Under the pretext of offering protection, they would advise the senior citizens to remove their gold jewelry and wrap it in a bag for safekeeping.

During this distraction, the gang members would skillfully swap the real gold with fake jewelry or stones, leaving the victims unaware of the deceit until it was too late, and the offenders had fled the scene. The police had been tracking this gang for several days and were able to apprehend them based on both digital and physical evidence.