The arrested accused have been identified as Prabhakar Subramaniyam Menon (40), Mangesh Kashinath Gaikwad (34), Prakash Chinappa Shetty (35) and Devendra Bhima Naidu alias Deva (30). They were arrested at 10.30 am on Monday outside Indraprasth Shopping Centre at Borivali by Unit 11 of the Crime Branch. The police recovered two factory-made revolvers of 0.32 and 8 mm bores along with 5 live rounds and two mobile phones from them.

“This is a dangerous gang, and their arrest is a significant step toward cutting down crimes in the city. If not neutralised, this gang had the capabilities to conduct daocities every second day. They are not only active in the city, but also in Surat and Ahmedabad,” said Rakesh Maria, joint commissioner of police (Crime).

According to the Crime Branch, the gang was allegedly involved in a dacoity at a builder’s office in Borivali on March 1, in which valuables worth Rs 96,000 was looted.

“On March 1, six unidentified men entered the office of Darshan Builders on TPS Road opposite Veer Savarkar Garden in Borivali. Armed with revolvers and choppers, they threatened the staff before decamping with 2 gold chains, 3 gold rings, 3 silver rings, 2 mobile phones and Rs 5,000. Sanjay Vijay Shah, the builder’s son, lodged a complaint at Borivali police station, and the Crime Branch conducted parallel investigations into the case. The four arrested accused were involved in this dacoity, and we are on the lookout for two of their accomplices,” said Maria.

He added: “One month prior to the dacoity, Naidu and Shetty had broken into the same office at night and looted property worth Rs 1 lakh.” According to the Crime Branch, the leader of the gang, Menon, has 17 cases of robbery and dacoity registered against him at Azad Maidan, Bandra Kurla Complex, Vile Parle, Santacruz, Andheri, Dindoshi, Goregaon and Borivali police stations, as well as in Karad and Virar. Three offences were registered against him in 2007.

Gaikwad has 12 cases registered against him at Byculla, Sion, Pant Nagar, Kandivli, Mira Road and Navgarh police stations. He was booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act by the Mira Road police, and under the Maharahstra Prevention of Disruptive Activities Act by the Byculla and Dindoshi police stations.