Mumbai: Man who only stole from rich nabbed

The burglars in the custody of the police

One of the most sophisticated burglars, known for targeting the residences of the rich and influential, has been arrested along with his accomplices by the Borivli police. Fifty-three-year-old Mohammed Salim Mohammed Habib Qureshi, alias Munna Qureshi, has a long history of high-profile thefts, including stealing over Rs 1 crore from underworld don Chhota Rajan's residence and Rs 7 crore from an MLA's house in Rajasthan.

In his latest heist, Qureshi targeted a businessman's residence in Borivli West, stealing gold ornaments and valuables worth Rs 29 lakh from a flat in the Silvergold building, located behind Zariwala Laboratory. The homeowner, who was abroad with his family, was alerted about the burglary after being informed that his house door was open, and the lock was broken. A relative confirmed the incident and reported it to the Borivli police, who registered a case.

The investigation, led by PSI Rajesh Kadam and Indrajeet Patil under the supervision of Senior Inspector Maloji Shinde and Inspector Pradeep Kale, revealed CCTV footage of Qureshi entering the building premises in a Honda Civic car with an accomplice. When the car's registered owner in Hyderabad was contacted, it emerged that the car had been resold, prompting the police to suspect the burglar hailed from another state. Qureshi's image was circulated across police stations, leading to his identification by Powai police based on a previous arrest in a burglary case.

(From left) Mohammed Salim Mohammed Habib Qureshi aka Munna; his associates Akbar Ali Shaikh and Israr Ahmad Abdul Salam Qureshi

Using call records and surveillance tools, the Borivli police tracked Qureshi's movements. On Sunday, his location was traced to Atal Setu Marg en route to Hyderabad. Alerting toll plazas along the route, the police, with local support, intercepted and arrested him at the Khalapur toll plaza. According to the police, Qureshi targeted only affluent households, carefully selecting upscale residential societies. His modus operandi involved entering buildings in a car, scouting floors to evaluate the financial status of residents based on their doors, and breaking into homes once a target was identified.

During interrogation, Qureshi admitted to the Borivli burglary and disclosed the involvement of his associates, Israr Ahmad Abdul Salam Qureshi, 48, from Ghaziabad and Akbar Ali Shaikh alias Baba, 40, from Wadala. After the thefts, Qureshi handed the stolen valuables to Israr, who, with Akbar's help, sold them to jewellers. Police are now working to recover the stolen items and identify the jewellers involved.

Qureshi is a habitual offender with over 200 cases registered against him in Pune, Telangana, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Notably, he burgled Chhota Rajan's Chembur residence in 2001 but fled Mumbai after his accomplice Santosh was killed by Rajan's gang. He later settled in Hyderabad, continuing his criminal activities.

He also confessed to stealing Rs 7 crore in a burglary at an MLA's house in Rajasthan. "I can't stop stealing. I never harass poor people; I only steal from millionaires and the rich," Qureshi reportedly said during interrogation. The accused, who has three wives and children living in Telangana, often involved his family in his crimes. His brother-in-law is also suspected of participating in several burglaries. Qureshi and his associates have been remanded to judicial custody. Police are continuing their investigation to recover stolen valuables and identify jewellers who purchased the stolen goods, an officer said.