Mumbai thief held for 34 burglaries across cities; accused targeted houses in Kalupur, Jamalpur

The Gaikwad Haveli Police in Ahmedabad have arrested a 47-year-old habitual burglar from Mumbai, wanted in connection with over 34 housebreaking cases across Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Maharashtra. The accused, identified as Shafi aka Sameem aka Topi Abdul Sheikh, was apprehended from Bhiwandi, Thane, and brought to Ahmedabad earlier this week.

According to police, Shafi was behind a string of house burglaries in the Gaikwad Haveli and Kalupur areas, where incidents of theft had recently surged. The latest case was filed after a complaint by Shabaz Mohammad Qureshi (35), a resident of Jamalpur, who reported that on September 29, a thief broke into the home of a neighbour, smashed open a safe, and stole ₹2.7 lakh in cash.

During the investigation, police recovered fingerprints from a windowpane at the crime scene. Forensic analysis confirmed that the prints matched those of Shafi alias Sameem, who had previously been booked in multiple theft cases in Maharashtra. Based on this evidence, the police traced him to his residence in Mumbai and arrested him on October 8.

Addicted to gambling, started stealing early in life

Police interrogation revealed that the accused had been stealing since childhood and was addicted to gambling, which drove him to commit frequent burglaries to fund his addiction. Investigators said that Shafi had a distinctive routine: he would board an early morning train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, arrive at Kalupur railway station, and target locked houses in Muslim-dominated localities during the afternoon hours. He would then return to Mumbai the same night after committing the theft.

Fingerprint match cracked the case

Assistant Commissioner of Police Vani Doodhat (E Division) said that the fingerprint match provided the crucial breakthrough. “During the forensic examination, prints lifted from a window glass matched those of Shafi, who had earlier been involved in several burglary cases. Once his identity was confirmed, a team was dispatched to Mumbai, and he was arrested,” Doodhat said.

Police also disclosed that the accused habitually keeps a small Ganesh idol in his pocket while scouting for targets, an act he believes brings him “luck” in his thefts. His modus operandi involved identifying relatively weak houses during afternoon hours, breaking locks using a pickaxe, and forcing open safes to steal cash and valuables.

Investigators said that Shafi has confessed to committing over 34 house burglaries in Ahmedabad, Rajkot (including Dhoraji), and parts of Maharashtra. The Gaikwad Haveli police have initiated further proceedings and informed other police stations across the state.

Senior Police Inspector Chirag Gosai, Inspector H V Dhandhukiya, and the Gaikwad Haveli Police Station team are coordinating with the Maharashtra Police for the recovery of stolen property and verification of other pending cases.