The Mulund police have arrested a 32-year-old history sheeter for allegedly stealing from passengers travelling on Mumbai-Pune AC sleeper bus. According to the police, the accused, Akash Kumar Kiritbhai Patel, who was released from jail in August for a similar offence, is a notorious criminal operating alone by posing as a passenger.

Patel is originally from Gujarat. “His modus operandi was to book AC sleeper bus tickets under fake names through mobile apps, board the bus from Borivli or Sion at night, and steal valuables from passengers’ bags while they slept,” said API Sunil Karande, who is the investigating officer in the case.