Mumbai: To pay for petrol, thieves break into, rob actor’s shop

The thieves Vikas Dilip Kamble aka Vicky; Gautam Kadam, Arun Pardesi and Nisar Ali Shah often come to Mumbai

In order to pay for enough petrol for their car on their journey back to Pune late on April 11, four thieves broke into a shop owned by popular actor Sunil Barve in Goregaon, and stole money for it. The Pune-based friends were arrested on Sunday after the cops identified the car through CCTV cameras.

The accused have been identified as Vikas Dilip Kamble aka Vicky, 27, Gautam Deepak Kadam, 23, Arun Bipin Pardesi, 23, and Nisar Ali Shah, 32. They have dozens of cases (including kidnapping, attempt to murder, robbery, and arms act) against their names in Sangvi, Wakad, Chinchwad and Nigdi in Pune, and Pimpri.

The police said Kamble is the mastermind and often visits Goregaon to meet his girlfriend. "All were drunk and short of money on the day of the crime. Kamble decided to break open the shutter of the actor's shop and stole the cash and a mobile phone from the counter," a police officer said.

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The shop is owned by well-known Marathi actor Sunil Barve. A case was registered on April 12 on the complaint of the actor's son Atharva, 25. At least R10,000 in cash and a mobile phone was stolen from the shop.

The police said the accused often break the shutters of shops or enter houses and steal just R5,000 to R 10,000 as they feel that no one will complain for such a minor amount.

The arrested accused were produced before the Borivli court on Sunday and remanded in police custody, said another officer.