Man accused of stealing 1,252 mobile phones arrested in Greater Noida

A truck full of new mobile phones was on its way to another company in Noida’s Phase 2 for online shipping on July 14 when the accused, who was behind the vehicle, allegedly drove it towards his hideout instead of the intended destination.

A wanted man was arrested by the Ecotech 1 police on Friday night following a brief encounter. The accused man was on the run after becoming involved in the theft of 1,252 mobile phones from a Noida-based mobile phone company in July.

Although the police made multiple arrests in this regard, it was only now that they managed to nab Ashok, the prime accused. (HT PHoto)

According to the police, the accused man, Ashok Chand (21), a resident of Trilokpuri, Delhi, was arrested following a tip-off from an informant.

“We had information that he would be present near the Murshadpur underpass. Subsequently, a team was sent to apprehend him. Ashok was riding a motorcycle with two other accomplices. When he saw the police, he started shooting and was arrested while his accomplices managed to flee,” Sunil Kumar Singh, station house officer, Ecotech 1 police station, said.

The police further said that the accused has a bounty of ₹25,000 on him and was wanted in connection to the theft of mobile phones from Vivo India’s (worth nearly ₹16 lakh) vehicle. The truck, full of new mobile phones, left the factory site in Ecotech 1 and was on its way towards another company in Noida’s Phase 2 for online shipping on July 14.

However, the accused man, who was the truck driver, had allegedly driven the vehicle towards a hideout instead of the intended destination and had handed over the phones to a five-member gang. Almost all the phones were recovered earlier.

A case had been registered in this regard at the Ecotech 1 police station under sections of cheating and dishonestly receiving stolen goods.

The police have made multiple arrests in this regard; however, Ashok, the prime accused, had been on the run. “Two of his accomplices who fled yesterday were also involved in the initial theft and we are now on the lookout for them,” the SHO said.

The police recovered a countrymade pistol from the accused. He was produced before a magistrate and later sent to jail.