Valuables worth Rs 8 lakh recovered from driver who stole from businessman’s vehicle during Mumbai-Kolhapur trip

Kolhapur: The Kolhapur police have recovered jewellery, cash and valuables worth Rs 8 lakh from a driver hired through a mobile application after he allegedly stole from a family during a Mumbai-Kolhapur trip, using a brief halt during the trip to execute the crime.The accused driver, hired via the ‘Driver Suvidha’ app, was tracked down to Thane’s Diva locality after the police analysed CCTV footage from a Lonavla food mall, where the alleged theft took place. The police said the driver returned the valuables after being confronted with evidence. Though no arrest has been made yet, a notice has been issued to him for cooperation in the probe.The complainant, a 27-year-old businessman from Kolhapur, had booked the driver for his car on May 25 after attending a family function at his aunt’s house in Mulund. Too tired to drive back, he opted for the app-based driver service for the return journey to Kolhapur with his parents.According to the police, the family halted at a food mall in Lonavla during the journey. The police revealed that the driver deviated from the designated parking area during the break.“Our team found out that at Lonavla’s food mall, when the family stepped out for a break, the driver took the vehicle to the backside of the mall instead of the parking area. The CCTV footage captured him opening the boot of the vehicle and doing something,” said sub-inspector Sanjiv Bambergekar, of the Shahupuri police station.After reaching Kolhapur, the complainant got down near Tawade Hotel and left for his cosmetics shop in Gandhinagar, while the driver dropped his parents at their residence in Tarabai Park. The driver was paid Rs 2,600 upon completion of the trip.It was only while unpacking that the family realised that jewellery, cash and a valuable watch were missing, prompting the businessman to approach the Shahupuri police.“We were told that the driver was hired from a mobile app. We approached the service provider, got his details and reached his home in Thane’s Diva locality. The driver initially denied the theft, but after we showed him the CCTV footage, he confessed and returned the stolen valuables. We have issued him a notice to cooperate in the investigation,” Bambergekar said.The police said the accused has no prior criminal record and cited financial distress as the motive behind the theft.“He told us that he was in deep financial trouble, has four daughters to support and is the sole earning member of the family. That led him to commit the theft,” the officer added. Further investigation is underway.