Pune: In a significant breakthrough, the Pargaon (Karkhana) Police, under the leadership of Assistant Police Inspector Netaji Gandhare, apprehended Vinayak Damu Jite, a habitual criminal responsible for a series of temple thefts across Pune and Nagar districts.

The operation, directed by Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Pankaj Deshmukh, led to the detection of 11 temple theft cases and the recovery of stolen goods worth four lakh rupees.

The police identified Jite from CCTV footage and arrested him in Shikrapur. During interrogation, Jite confessed to thefts at multiple temples, including Bhairavnath Jogeshwari Temple in Shingave and Devi Temple in Lakhan Gaon. The recovered items included cash, gold, silver, and electronic goods.

In a press conference held at the Pune Rural Police Headquarters on Tuesday, Pankaj Deshmukh emphasized the importance of swiftly solving temple theft cases due to their impact on public faith and sentiment. This arrest marked the end of Jite's four-month crime spree following his release from jail in February.

Present at the conference were Amol Mandve, Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Khed Division; Avinash Shilimkar, Senior Police Inspector of the Local Crime Branch; Netaji Gandhare, Assistant Police Inspector of Pargaon Karkhana Police Station; and Bhau Lokre, Police Sub-Inspector.

Deshmukh mentioned that incidents of temple thefts had been on the rise in the eastern part of Ambegaon taluka, Shirur, and Khed taluka over the past few days.

While investigating these cases, Police Sub-Inspector Bhau Lokre, Police Constable Amol Wadekar, Sanjay Salve, and Mangesh Abhang discovered CCTV footage of a suspect committing thefts at various police station jurisdictions. The suspect was identified as Vinayak Damu Jite, a habitual criminal.

Upon receiving a tip-off that the suspect would be in Shikrapur, a trap was laid, and Police Constables Sanjay Salve and Mangesh Abhang apprehended Jite.

Initially, he provided evasive answers, but later confessed to the temple thefts. On July 31, Vinayak Damu Jite was arrested for the crimes and, during further interrogation, admitted to thefts at various temples, including Bhairavnath Jogeshwari Temple in Shingave, Devi Temple in Lakhan Gaon, Hanuman Temple in Mandlewadi, and Bolhai Mata Temple in Jarkarwadi.

Further questioning revealed that he had also stolen from Srinath Maskoba Temple in Rautwadi, Wadjai Mata Temple in Kavatemala, Yemai Old Police Station Temple in Khed Rajgurunagar, Kalubai Temple in Savindne, Tukai Mata Devi Temple in Ranjangaon Fandvasti, Khandoba Temple in Ghodegaon Shindewadi, and Tukai Temple in Supa, Nagar district.

The seized items included donated cash, gold beads, gold bangles, a gold nose ring, brass lamps, a goddess's mask, a sound system, a silver mask, brass bells, two silver horses, a silver Nandi, silver masks, brass items, and electronic goods, all worth a total of four lakh rupees.