The Pune Rural Police have captured a thief who is said to be responsible for 11 temple thefts in the area. The suspect, identified as Vinayak Damu Jite, 32, allegedly used some pretty bizarre disguises to carry out his crimes, including a monkey mask and even just his underwear.
According to reports, the thefts occurred between February and July in temples located in Ambegaon, Shirur, Shikrapur, Ranjangaon, and Khed. Items stolen included valuable gold and silver ornaments, cash from donation boxes, heavy brass lamps, bells, and music systems.
The Superintendent of Police for Pune Rural mentioned that while the monetary value of the stolen items wasn’t very high, the emotional significance of these thefts to the local community was immense.
Jite, who hails from Kanhur Mesai in Shirur, apparently learned his craft during a previous stint in prison for armed robbery. After his release in February, he went on a spree of temple thefts, using his unique disguises to avoid detection.
Thanks to security camera footage and information from informants, the police were able to track down Jite and make the arrest on July 31. It was later discovered that he was behind a total of 11 temple thefts, with nine in Pune Rural and two in Ahmednagar district. Jite’s loot was valued at around Rs four lakh.
During his thefts, Jite would reportedly scout out the temples during the day and strike in the early hours of the morning. He took anything of value, from gold and silver items to cash and amplifiers.
In light of these incidents, the police are advising temples in the area to install CCTV cameras and enhance security measures to protect their valuables.
The arrest of Jite has brought a sense of relief to the affected communities in Pune Rural.
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