Police on Monday busted a three-wheeler gang that robbed at least 40 people in the past two months. The gang used to target people wearing kurta-pyjama as it was easy to take out cash and valuables from their pockets.
Police have recovered 12 stolen mobile phones and three auto rickshaws used in the crime from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Sanjeev Sharma, 28, of Shimlapuri, Rakesh Kumar, 25, Aatma Ram, 27, Karan Kumar, 30, and Amarjeet Singh, 34, all residents of Pratap Nagar area.
Joint commissioner of police, Bhagirath Singh Meena said the accused used to target people on the route between bus stand, Clock Tower and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, as they assumed that people going to the hospital and markets near Clock Tower carried large sums of money.
The accused were arrested from the Amar Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Interstate Bus Terminal following a tip-off.
The Joint CP revealed that three of the accused already have cases of snatching and thefts registered against them and had come out on bail recently.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, City 3) Sameer Verma said that Karan Kumar and Amarjeet are the kingpins of the gang. Both own auto rickshaws and used to drive it while the others sat posing as passengers and robbed the passengers.
{{/usCountry}}Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, City 3) Sameer Verma said that Karan Kumar and Amarjeet are the kingpins of the gang. Both own auto rickshaws and used to drive it while the others sat posing as passengers and robbed the passengers.
{{/usCountry}}The ADCP added that in most cases, the crimes were not even reported. However, the accused have confessed to robbing at least 40 people. “It seems that people who lost lesser amounts did not lodge complaints,” he added.
“The accused are drug addicts and executed the crime for easy money,” the ADCP added.
A case under Section 379 (snatching) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Division Number 5 police station.