A birthday police are holding their breath for

This is a birthday the entire south Delhi police are waiting for. A juvenile offender who leads a gang of burglars that later set the house they target on fire, is all set to turn 18 years of age on December 26 this year. After which, the police plan to arrest and put him behind bars for good, reports HT Correspondent.

This is a birthday the entire south Delhi police are waiting for.

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A juvenile offender who leads a gang of burglars that later set the house they target on fire, is all set to turn 18 years of age on December 26 this year. After which, the police plan to arrest and put him behind bars for good.

The juvenile and his gang are involved in more than 50 cases of burglary and fire in government colonies. The Juvenile Justice Act 2000 says that any person below the age of 18 years cannot be arrested and has to be sent to an observation home. HT was the first to report about the gang on October 9.

“The group breaks into houses, cleans it of cash, jewellery and even foodgrains. They then set the house on fire. This year at least 50 such cases have been reported from Laxmi Bai colony, Sarojini Nagar and Netaji Nagar areas of south Delhi,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

In June this year, the police apprehended the group and sent them to an observation home. They managed to escape by scaling the home’s wall. The group targets houses, which are locked.

“Once he turns 18, it would be easier for us to take action against him. Now he takes advantage of the legal loopholes,” said the officer.

When he was apprehended last time, the juvenile challenged the police to catch him again.

Incidentally, the teenager has been committing burglaries since he was 10 years old.

Residents said it was a major security concern as the fire can spread to other houses as well.

The gang is suspected to be involved in a similar case reported from Laxmi Bai Nagar on December 1 when the house of a Defence Ministry employee was burgled and then set on fire.

The family were in Punjab to attend a wedding.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had also claimed to arrest four men involved in 14 similar cases.

On November 15, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police had arrested another gang, which used to set on fire their targets after burglary.

The gang was active in Kidwai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, R K Puram and Kotla Mubrakpur. Police said the gang set the houses on fire to destroy evidence.