2 thieves steal from school and sleep in classroom

Mumbai: Two 55-year-old thieves slept for five hours in a classroom of the school they allegedly stole from, before boarding the first train from Dahisar to Nalasopara. The police have arrested the two accused for allegedly stealing ₹85,000, and FD documents valued at ₹1 crore from Seth DM High School in Borivali (East) on September 27.
According to Kasturba Marg Police, the accused, Anna Durai Devendar and Murgesh Devendar are residents of Diva and Nalasopara respectively.
The principal of the school had complained to the police on September 27 that the office of the superintendent had been broken into. ₹85,000 in cash and documents related to fixed deposits worth ₹1 crore had been allegedly stolen. Based on the complaint, the police had registered a case of theft under section 305 (a) (theft) and 331 (3) (housebreaking to commit offense) (4) (housebreaking at night) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita against unknown persons.
After going through the CCTVs footage, the police saw two masked men enter the school premises from the back gate while the watchman was stationed on the front gate at 12am. They robbed the premises and slept in a classroom. At 5am, the footages showed the men leaving, with a raincoat on them and an umbrella hiding their faces. It was raining heavily that day.
“The umbrella was rainbow-coloured and distinctive. We followed its trail,” said a police officer from Kasturba Marg Police Station. “Since both thieves are aged, they walked slowly towards Dahisar and took an autorickshaw. We lost their tracks for some time in footages,” added the officer. They were able to then track the thieves boarding a train and get down at Nalasopara.
“We traced both of them. Upon searching one house, we found ₹35,000 in cash, and the rainbow-coloured umbrella. Based on this, we arrested them,” said the officer.
The police said that Anna Durai, who frequently stays at his sister’s house in Malwani, has a prior theft case against him in 1999. He made rounds of many schools from Malad to Dahisar with the knowledge that cash was kept in the principals’ cabin often.
“The two have been arrested and produced before the court where they were remanded to police custody,” added the officer.