- Two thieves called police after locals trapped them in a shop during burglary attempt
- The incident occurred at BJ Jewellers in Sanjan village, Valsad district, Gujarat
- Locals pulled down the shutter to trap the men when they suspected a break-in
When police in Gujarat's Valsad district received an emergency call about a burglary attempt late on Wednesday, the person on the other end was one of the two thieves. "Sir, we came to commit a theft, but people have pulled down the shutter. Please, save us," said the man. A crowd had gathered outside, and the thieves feared they'd be thrashed, or worse, police said.
The two men had broken into a shop, BJ Jewellers, in Sanjan village in Umargam sub-division, about 25 km from the town of Vapi. This area is often targeted as it is located at the cusp of Gujarat with Maharashtra, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman, which makes it easier for criminals to cross borders to escape the state police.
Dinesh Sonkar and Vipin Pathak's plan did not quite work out, though.
Read: Burglar's Truck Stolen In Middle Of Robbing Store, Police Officer Says 'That's Karma'
When some locals grew suspicious that they had picked the lock to enter the shop, they pulled down the shop's shutter, leaving the duo stranded inside. As the crowd outside grew, the thieves locked themselves in and eventually decided to dial 112 for the police helpline.
Men with sticks were trying to open the shutter when the cops arrived to rescue and arrest the two men. Police also seized some jewellery they'd gathered to take away and some tools they'd brought with them for the burglary.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) B Dave said police would seek their custody to check their record for any history of crimes.
