6 arrested for stealing, selling 165 phones in Greater Noida

Greater Noida: Six people were arrested on Monday in Greater Noida for allegedly stealing and selling mobile phones belonging to a private logistics and delivery firm, officials said on Tuesday

Greater Noida: Six people were arrested on Monday in Greater Noida for allegedly stealing and selling mobile phones belonging to a private logistics and delivery firm, officials said on Tuesday.

The arrests followed a case registered at the Beta-2 police station on July 24 after a delivery and logistics company manager lodged a complaint following an audit that found 165 mobile phones missing, said police (Representational image)

The arrests followed a case registered at the Beta-2 police station on July 24 after a delivery and logistics company manager lodged a complaint following an audit that found 165 mobile phones missing, said police. The case was registered against the company driver and other suspects, said officials.

On Monday, the suspects were arrested near Nat Madhiya in Beta-2. The main suspect is a 30-year-old driver from Aligarh who had been working with the company for around one-and-a-half months. The other suspects include three men aged 25, 23, and 32 from Aligarh, and two men aged 24 and 32 from Bijnor, police said.

Police recovered 154 mobile phones worth around ₹50 lakh, ₹2.5 lakh in cash and a Scorpio allegedly used in the crime, officials said.

According to police, the driver was responsible for transporting phones manufactured by the company to various locations.

During transit, he would allegedly break the seal of the container, remove labels from cartons and, in collusion with the other suspects, steal the phones. The group would then sell the phones at various locations in the Delhi-NCR market at prices lower than the market rate to make illegal profits, it added.

“The company noticed that 165 mobile phones were missing following an audit report, after which a complaint was registered at the Beta-2 police station. Mobile phones worth around ₹50 lakh, a Scorpio and ₹2.5 lakh in cash have been recovered. The mastermind was the driver, who had been working with the company for around one-and-a-half months. Whenever he went out for deliveries, he would steal the mobile phones” said Santosh Kumar, additional deputy commissioner of police (Greater Noida), in a statement.

Police said they are investigating the involvement of two more people in the gang and are checking whether any other stolen mobile phones can be recovered.

Police have registered a case under sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and 317(2) (stolen property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Beta-2 police station, officials said.