According to the police, two masked men brandishing a gun forced their way into Ashok Katariya’s store in the Gauhar Baug area of Bilimora on Tuesday afternoon.After 11 offences of vehicle theft—and all committed in a year—a Valsad man, who is an aeronautical engineer by education, was caught and arrested, albeit for the second time, after he failed on his debut robbery attempt in Navasari’s Bilimora, police said.Umang Vachhani (25) was arrested with two of his aides–Rajnikant Makwana (39) and Akash Suryavanshi (23), also from Valsad—on Wednesday, a day after a failed robbery bid at a jewellery store in Bilimora resulted in gunshot wounds to the proprietor, the police said. A Navasari court on Thursday remanded Vachhani to police custody for nine days, and the other two for five days.According to the police, two masked men brandishing a gun forced their way into Ashok Katariya’s store in the Gauhar Baug area of Bilimora on Tuesday afternoon. As Kataria (48), who was alone in the store, retaliated, one of the two men fired two rounds at him. While one bullet hit him in his chin, the other grazed through his neck area, the police said.An injured Kataria, however, managed to chase both robbers out and screamed for help. The assailants fled in a car they had parked outside the store.Ashok was rushed to a local hospital and admitted to the ICU ward, where his condition was said to be stable.After his police complaint, the police lodged a case under BNS 109(1) (attempt to murder), 309(6) (voluntarily causing hurt), 311 (robbery), 333 (trespassing), 115(2) (causing hurt to a person), and the Arms Act’s sections 25(1) (a) and 27 (1).A day later, the three assailants were caught while trying to flee to Valsad in a state transport bus. The car used in the crime was found abandoned near a stone quarry in Chikhli town.Story continues below this adNavsari Superintendent of Police Rahul Patel said Vachhani was the mastermind of the crime. “Vachhani was previously arrested by Ahmedabad police in a crime of vehicle theft. He is named an accused in 11 cases of vehicle theft in Ahmedabad in 2023. Makwana was also previously arrested by Valsad police in a prohibition case, while Akash has no criminal history. Ashok Katariya’s health condition is stable at the hospital.”The SP added that Vachhani stole his first vehicle while pursuing aeronautical engineering at an Ahmedabad college in 2023.“Vachhani is an expert in vehicle theft. This was the first time he had planned a robbery with two of his friends. He and two of his friends previously came to Bilimora a month ago to recce the jewellery shop. The accused have confessed that they were facing financial crises, due to which they decided to rob a jewellery store in Bilimora,” the SP added.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:robbery