Unique Bike Horn Helps Vasai Police Crack ₹70 Lakh Jewellery Heist

Vasai : A distinct motorcycle horn has helped Vasai police crack a daring gold heist worth over ₹70 lakh, which had left investigators stumped for weeks. The robbery, carried out by two masked men in January, had initially offered little for the police to work with – no clear visuals, no visible number plate, and barely any clues. But a sharp-eyed officer’s attention to a minor detail helped solve the case.

The incident occurred on the night of January 10, when 68-year-old jeweller Ratanlal Singhvi was closing his shop, Mayank Jewellers, in the Kaul Heritage City area of Vasai. As he was pulling down the shutter, two motorbike-borne men, armed with a pistol and wearing helmets and masks, accosted him. When Singhvi resisted, he was physically assaulted before the robbers fled with jewellery worth over ₹70 lakh.

Following the crime, the Mira Bhayander–Vasai Virar police launched an extensive investigation. Footage from over 600 CCTV cameras was examined, but the unclear bike number plate and concealed identities of the suspects hampered progress.

However, a breakthrough came when a vigilant police officer noticed something unusual in the footage from the Girij Tokpada area. A motorbike featured a distinct horn sound and headlight flash, following which a man emerged from a nearby bungalow and opened its gate. The vehicle was let in without hesitation, raising suspicions.

Further investigation revealed that the bungalow belonged to Roy Sequeira, also known as ‘Royal’, a 46-year-old local resident with a long criminal history and more than a dozen cases against him. When police searched the premises, they recovered the motorcycle used in the heist.

The suspects, it was discovered, had deliberately stopped using their mobile phones after the robbery and instead communicated with Sequeira through coded messages. After committing the crime, they changed clothes and escaped Vasai by train.

Police are now in the process of arresting all involved and preparing the case for court proceedings. Officials have lauded the alertness of the investigating team, especially the officer who noticed the unique horn that led to the major breakthrough.

The case highlights how even the smallest detail can turn the tide in a seemingly unsolvable investigation.