Four members of ‘thak thak’ gang arrested in Noida, 27 stolen laptops recovered
The police have recovered six catapults used for breaking car windows, as well as a smart watch, two mobile phones and two scooters used in the crime
Four members of a ‘thak thak’ gang -- they steal valuables from parked cars either by diverting the attention of their intended victim or by breaking the windowpanes with a catapult-- were arrested by Noida police on Tuesday and valuables worth over ₹30 lakh, including 27 laptops, were recovered from the possession of the suspects.
Officials said the four suspects are related to each other and hail from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The police have recovered six catapults used for breaking car windows, as well as a smart watch, two mobile phones and two scooters used in the crime.
“The suspects have been identified as Sanjay alias Michael, Amit Raj, Vikram and Vignesh, all residents of Delhi. They hail from Chennai and would flee to that city at regular intervals after being active in a particular area for more than a couple of months. In Noida, the suspects have carried out at least 40 thefts in the past one and a half months and at least such 100 crimes in all of Delhi-NCR,” said Shakti Avasthy, additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida.
The four suspects used to operate in teams of two on two-wheelers. One team would recce the area and the other \would steal the valuables, Avasthy said. They were arrested from D-Park in Sector 44 on Tuesday.
“After several complaints of thefts from cars in Noida at various police stations, the police team had been working to identify and arrest this gang. In the CCTV footage collected from more than 20 places in the district, the suspects have been found breaking the glass of parked vehicles and looting valuables kept inside,” added the ADCP.
He added that the suspects have over 70 theft cases registered against them in Noida, Delhi and Ghaziabad, since 2020.
Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police-1, Noida, said the police is now on the lookout for other members of the gang.
“Sanjay alias Michael is the leader of the gang and his wife Simran is also involved in criminal activities. After stealing the laptops, Sanjay would give them to Simran and three other accomplices Shashi, Rajesh and Vishal who would sell them at the electronics market in Nehru Place, Delhi,” said Verma.
The four suspects were produced before the magistrate and sent to judicial custody on Monday, he added.
