Nagpur: In a dramatic turn of events, a 21-year-old food delivery partner, Jayesh Satikosre, was nabbed by the Crime Branch on Friday in Nagpur for allegedly orchestrating a series of gaming zone burglaries. Driven by debt amounting to approximately Rs 8 lakh owed to cricket bookies, Jayesh began targeting gaming outlets, effectively eluding police radar until a late-night CCTV discovery brought his double life to light.
Jayesh’s method was both stealthy and unconventional. By day, he worked as a food delivery partner, while at night, he shifted to crime. Exploiting his work uniform and food box, Jayesh concealed stolen gaming items, such as PlayStations, gaming CDs, software, and remote controls, moving through police checkpoints unbothered. His actions went unnoticed until Thursday night when CCTV footage captured him lingering near a Shri Nagar-based gaming zone at the same time a theft occurred, arousing police suspicion.
Senior Inspector Kamlakar Gaddime and Sub-Inspector Avinash Jayebhaye, investigating the Shri Nagar gaming zone case, tracked Jayesh down using his scooter’s registration number and apprehended him at a shop in Telipura while he attempted to sell stolen goods. The Crime Branch team, led by DCP Rahul Maknikar, seized items worth around Rs 3.5 lakh from the accused. Upon questioning, Jayesh confessed to additional burglaries, including one at a Kalamna gaming outlet, from which the police recovered more gaming devices.
Reports revealed that Jayesh meticulously studied gaming zones to determine their closing times and befriended local traders to secure buyers for his stolen items. His knowledge of gaming equipment made it easy for him to attract buyers in Sitabuldi and Telipura, selling high-end gadgets at below-market rates.
Crime Branch officials commended head constables Roshan Tiwari, Sunil Thawkar, Atul Chate, and Devender for their efforts in tracking down the suspect. Jayesh is now in custody, facing multiple charges for his calculated burglaries across Nagpur’s gaming network.
A senior police official said that the Crime Branch’s latest detection has triggered a cause of concerns especially involving unscrupulous food delivery partners escaping the scrutinising eyes of the police. “During election time, antisocial elements pose as food delivery boys and transport arms, currency, and liquor in their food boxes,” said the senior official.