Pune Rural Police have arrested two men and said they have detected six chain-snatching cases reported across four police-station jurisdictions in Pune district between July 26 and September 19, 2026. Gold ornaments weighing 55 grams and a motorcycle allegedly used in the crimes, together valued at Rs 9 lakh, have been seized, according to a report by Sakal – Pune.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Deepak Balbhim Pawar, 28, a resident of Arole Vasti in Jamkhed taluka of Ahilyanagar district, and Yuvraj Sachin Lokhande, 24, a resident of Uddhat in Indapur taluka. Police said the men targeted women who were walking or travelling on two-wheelers and snatched gold chains while riding a motorcycle.
The investigation began after police observed similarities in the method used in the cases and the involvement of young men travelling on a two-wheeler. Acting on information gathered during the probe, investigators monitored the two suspects before taking them into custody from Arole Vasti in Jamkhed. Police said the two men confessed to six thefts within the jurisdiction of Daund, Yavat, Vadgaon Nimbalkar and Jejuri police stations.
The cases include the alleged theft of a one-tola mini mangalsutra from Sunita Subhash Godse at Neera in Purandar taluka on July 26. Police said the incident took place at about 6.45 pm while she was speaking with an acquaintance on a cement road. On August 19, a gold necklace valued at Rs 40,000 was allegedly snatched from 67-year-old Muktabai Chandrarao Bhapkar while she was in a field at Sayambachiwadi in Baramati taluka.
Another case was reported on August 25 at Vasunde Phata in Daund taluka, where police said Fulabai Rama Hake was grazing goats when a one-and-a-quarter-tola gold necklace was allegedly snatched. On September 10, at about 6 pm, Harshada Shrikant Jadhav was travelling on a two-wheeler along a service road near the highway at Kurkumbh in Daund when a two-tola, seven-gram mini mangalsutra was allegedly taken, according to the report.
The remaining cases involved a gold mini mangalsutra valued at Rs 30,000 reportedly stolen from Supriya Lahu Halande’s shop at Palashi Rehabilitation, on the Patas-Kangaon road in Daund, on September 11. On September 19, at about 11.40 am, Aarti Shrikant Bhosale was travelling by two-wheeler on the Kedgaon Station–Shri Bormalnath road at Boripardhi when a nine-gram gold chain with a diamond was allegedly snatched.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandipsinh Gill, Additional Superintendent Ganesh Biradar and Deputy Superintendent Bapurao Dadas. The investigation team included officers from the Local Crime Investigation Branch and Daund police station. The seized property and the motorcycle will remain part of the police investigation and related legal proceedings.
