Ranchi: The mastermind of last year's Bokaro SBI locker break-in has been arrested in Mumbai, bringing to an end a five-month police hunt.

Hassan Khalil Sheikh, alias Hassan Chikna, was picked up from Nerul on Monday by a joint team. Gold and silver worth over Rs 3 crore and Rs 53.64 lakh in cash were found on him.

Sources said Bokaro SP Karthik S. was tipped on Hassan being in Mumbai. "Two cops from Nerul posed as census workers and began surveying the area from Saturday," a senior officer said.

Hassan will be brought to the steel city on transit remand for which formalities are being carried out. "If the airport authorities allow him to board a service flight, he will be brought by tonight (Tuesday)," SP Karthik said.

The Hassan Chikna gang had targeted 76 lockers at the treasury branch of SBI during the 2017 Christmas break. Police have so far arrested 14 persons, including Hassan's wife Firdausi Bibi, from Jharkhand and Bengal. Around 3kg gold and 6kg silver, besides cash, have been recovered.

Nerul's senior inspector Ashok Rajput told local reporters that Hassan had been staying there for a few months and was planning his next heists in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. He is also wanted in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.