Burglars break into actress's unguarded Maval farmhouse
Sangeeta Bijlani
's farmhouse near Pavana dam in Maval, about 60km from the city, and decamped with a TV set and Rs 50,000 in cash. The burglary came to light on Friday when Bijlani visited the farmhouse with her staff and found the window grilles broken.
Senior inspector Dinesh Tayade of the Lonavla Rural police, told TOI, "Bijlani had not visited the farmhouse since March, and its isolated location near Pavana dam made it vulnerable. With no security guard on site, authorities suspect the thieves may have cased the property before breaking in over the past two days."
In her complaint, Bijlani stated the the thieves made off with Rs 50,000 in cash meant for her father's emergency needs, which was kept in a cupboard.
"Upon visiting the farmhouse on around 11.30am on Friday with her staff, Bijlani was shocked to see the main entrance forcibly broken. Further inspection revealed damage to household items, including the fridge and decor," Tayade said, citing the complaint.
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The police suspect local robbers might be behind the break-in, given their potential familiarity with the area and the house. "A forensic team visited the farmhouse on Friday, collecting suspected fingerprints and other evidence to aid the investigation," the officer said, adding, "Based on this evidence, our team is investigating the case."
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Police are also checking the CCTV cameras. "The robbers damaged some of the cameras, but the DVR is intact. Footage recorded before the cameras were damaged is still available. Our team is reviewing this footage to establish further connections in the case," Tayade said.
Bijlani's personal assistant Mujeeb Khan said the actor owned five acres of land and the bungalow, comprising more than six rooms and servant quarters, on 5,000sqft. "The burglars vandalized six CCTV cameras and used sharp weapons to cut sofa set, furniture and pillows to find out if valuables were concealed inside. The burglars also damaged electronic gadgets and fled," he said.
"Police told us that the burglary was well-planned because the bungalow had remained close for a long time. The actress's father, who often visited the bungalow, did not visit it owing to his ill-health," he added.
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