Delhi: Gang busted for stealing luggage at stations — using lookalike black and blue bags
The police arrested four men, recovering 12 stolen bags, mobile phones and cash.
According to police, the gang would disguise themselves as cloth merchants and preyed on heavy footfall trains to avoid raising suspicion. They would target passengers boarding and alighting trains, particularly at crowded stations, and quickly escape with unattended luggage.
The accused, police said, had a unique modus operandi to commit the thefts.
DCP (Railways) KPS Malhotra said, 'Black and blue bags were more prone to theft, as these are common and less noticeable in crowded areas. The accused exploited this by adopting a deliberate tactic of carrying and exchanging similar-looking black and blue bags to evade detection.'
'They would stay at a hotel near the railway station, carrying black and blue bags with them. They would then steal similar-coloured bags from unsuspecting passengers and take them to the hotel, where they would empty the contents into the bags they already possessed. Thereafter, they would bring the now-empty stolen bags back to the railway station and abandon them. This cycle was repeated multiple times, making it harder for police and CCTV operators to distinguish stolen bags from their own. This clever deception helped them blend into the crowd and avoid raising suspicion, while successfully executing theft after theft,' DCP Malhotra further explained.
They also used safe houses near the Badarpur-Faridabad border to conceal stolen property before selling it in the grey markets. To avoid detection, they frequently changed phones and SIM cards, and used aliases during hotel stays, said police.
The police were tipped off about the gang on July 3 when a passenger from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra SF Express lodged a complaint about the theft of five bags at New Delhi Railway Station. The Railway Unit analysed CCTV footage and traced suspicious movement to a hotel in Paharganj. A team was subsequently deployed for verification.
Raids at the hotel led to the arrest of three gang members. Police said Amit Kumar (37), who hails from Vaishali in Bihar, has a previous record of thefts at railway stations and had been arrested by the railway police in Hajipur in 2015. According to the police, Kumar operated mostly in Bihar and Delhi, specifically targeting railway passengers.
Karan Kumar (27), hailing from Begusarai, had been previously arrested in 2015 under the Arms Act, said police. He used to carry weapons during thefts to intimidate victims and help the gang escape.
Gaurav (33) was arrested in 2019 at NDLS for theft. According to police, he had also been declared a proclaimed offender in the same case. He was allegedly well acquainted with the station's layout, making him a critical operative in executing and planning thefts.
Police recovered three trolley bags — of which two were stolen — four backpacks, five handbags, two mobile phones, and Rs 47,000 in cash. The stolen trolley bags were matched to the complaint filed on July 3, said police.
Further investigation led to the arrest of their fourth member from Anand Vihar Railway Station.
Police said Punit Mahto (38) has a long history involving narcotics, armed robbery and organised theft.
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