Two held for robbing garments worth ₹10 lakh from factory in Greater Noida

Two men were arrested on Monday for robbing garments worth ₹10 lakh from a factory in the Ecotech-1 area of Greater Noida late Sunday night

Two men were arrested on Monday for robbing garments worth ₹10 lakh from a factory in the Ecotech-1 area of Greater Noida late Sunday night. The two suspects entered the factory and held the factory workers hostage, before decamping with a canter truck loaded with 13 bundles of garments, said police officers associated with the case. Police caught the two robbers two hours after they were informed, said investigators.

Investigators said that there were only two workers inside and no security guard at the time of the incident. (Representational Image)

According to the police, the incident happened at 1.30 am at Vikas Transport and Carrier Company. “We received information on Dial112 at 1.30 am by the company’s manager that four robbers entered the company at night and kept two workers hostage. They then took the keys of a canter truck worth ₹11 lakh from them and decamped with it, along with a bundle of clothes worth ₹10 lakh. The manager reported a total robbery of goods worth ₹21 lakh from the company,” said SM Khan, deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida.

Investigators said that there were only two workers inside and no security guard at the time of the incident. “The suspects tied their hands and legs and locked them inside the company’s bathroom. They also took their phones with them. When the suspects were leaving, they returned the workers’ mobile phones to them but did not untie them. Then, with great difficulty, the two workers called their manager and narrated the incident. He then came from his home nearby and freed the workers before dialling 112 to call the police,” said Sarita Malik, station house officer of Ecotech-1 police station.

As soon as the police received information about the robbery, patrol teams on night duty were alerted about the truck’s identification and probable routes, said DCP Khan.

“A police patrol van of Ecotech-1 police team spotted the truck and chased it down to nab the suspects. The police teams reached the Ecotech-3 police station area for police backup. With the coordination of both police stations in different zones -- Greater Noida and Central Noida -- we tracked down the truck. Two suspects were found inside, along with the stolen bundles of garments,” said Khan, adding that two other suspects who were also part of the robbery managed to flee as they had gone in a different direction from the truck.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Deepak and Naveen. They were booked under section 394 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code and sent to judicial custody.

“Deepak worked as a driver in the industrial area where the company is located and knew that goods worth lakhs of rupees have come to the company for transportation, so he planned the robbery. We are trying to apprehend the two suspects who are on the run,” said Sarita Malik, station house officer of Ecotech-1 police station.