Jewel thief arrested by crime branch

Vadodara: A man who allegedly stole jewellery from several shops was arrested by detection of crime branch (DCB) in the city.

Police said that Badshah Ali Saiyyad, who is from Madhya Pradesh, was riding a motorcycle without a numberplate in the Panigate area. Police saw him and flagged him down, but Saiyyad tried to flee. They chased him down and questioned him about the motorcycle. When he couldn't provide satisfactory answers, he was frisked and Rs 15,000 in cash was found.

On further interrogation, Saiyyad confessed to having stolen gold jewellery from a shop in the Khodiyarnagar area two months ago. He also confessed to a theft from a jewellery shop in Dahod three months ago and another at a showroom in Karjan two years ago. Saiyyad committed these thefts with help from other members of his gang.

"Saiyyad was also involved in a robbery at a petrol pump in Mehsana. He faces a case for assault in Madhya Pradesh as well," a police official said.

Saiyyad and his gang would come to Gujarat for a few days and target jewellery shops. They would pose as customers, distract the owner and steal jewellery. The gang sold the stolen jewellery in Madhya Pradesh.