Noida: Seven held for mobile snatching, vehicle theft, in separate incidents

The arrests led to the recovery of two stolen motorcycles, six mobile phones, 670 alprazolam tablets, 11 vials of avil injections, 10 syringes, two countrymade pistols, and live cartridges

The Noida police arrested seven people in two separate incidents for allegedly involved in a spate of thefts and organised crime, senior officers said on Friday, adding that the arrests also led to the recovery of stolen vehicles, high-end mobile phones, firearms, and narcotics.

In a second operation, two suspects, Rahman (21) and Arshant (22) from Delhi, were arrested from the FNG Expressway service road in Sector 63 based on local intelligence. The duo was caught red-handed with a stolen KTM bike, four snatched mobile phones, a countrymade pistol, and an illegal knife, police said. (Representational image)

In the first operation, five suspects, identified as Vansh (23), Himanshu (24), Sonu Chauhan (26), Ashu (22), and Sajid Khan (28), all residents of Ghaziabad, were taken into custody from Bisrakh, said Shakti Mohan Awasthi, deputy commissioner of police, Central Noida. He said all five have prior criminal records, including that of robbery, snatching, illegal arms possession, and drug-related offences in Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Noida.

“They primarily used stolen motorcycles for their operations, targeting pedestrians to snatch mobile phones and chains. They sold the stolen phones to a medical store in Pratap Vihar, Ghaziabad, in exchange for cash and narcotics, such as alprazolam tablets and avil injections,” said Awasthi.

Sajid Khan, who played a pivotal role in the gang, also helped reset stolen phones and withdraw money using digital wallets.

The arrests led to the recovery of two stolen motorcycles, six mobile phones, 670 alprazolam tablets, 11 vials of avil injections, 10 syringes, two countrymade pistols, and live cartridges.

Cases were filed against the accused under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 304 (robbery and extortion), 304(2) (use of force or threats), 317(2) (unlawful possession of stolen property), and 317(5) (organised crime), besides charged under the Arms Act and NDPS Act.

In a second operation, two suspects, Rahman (21) and Arshant (22) from Delhi, were arrested from the FNG Expressway service road in Sector 63 based on local intelligence. The duo was caught red-handed with a stolen KTM bike, four snatched mobile phones, a countrymade pistol, and an illegal knife, police said.

Their involvement in multiple thefts came to fore, including the theft of a KTM bike (UP 14 FX 5305) from Anand Vihar in July 2024 and the snatching of high-end smartphones such as an iPhone 15 and a Google Pixel from victims near the Electronic City Metro station in September and October. These cases were registered under Section 303(2) (theft) and Section 304 (extortion) of the BNS.

“The suspects carefully selected their targets, focusing on crowded areas to maximize their chances of success while planning quick escapes on stolen vehicles,” Awasthi said.

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