Gang of pickpockets busted in Delhi; five arrested, 23 stolen mobile phones recovered

New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) Delhi Police has busted a gang of pickpockets with the arrest of five accused, including a man who allegedly received stolen mobile phones, and recovered 23 stolen smartphones, an official said on Saturday.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ankit (23), Amit alias Pirrah (23), Manish alias Chhotu (24), Karan (23), and Arun alias Gayle (28), all residents of Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, he said.

"The accused used to travel from their native village to Delhi by local trains and buses, commit thefts in crowded areas such as metro stations and markets, and then escape back to their village to evade arrest," a senior police officer said.

A case of mobile phone theft was registered on July 20 at Lahori Gate police station based on a case filed by Ritvik Rai. He reported that his Apple iPhone was stolen from his pants pocket while purchasing sweets at Fatehpuri Chowk in Khari Baoli.

One of the suspects, Ankit, was apprehended on July 30 near Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the theft and disclosed the names of his associates - Amit, Karan, and Manish.

Raids were subsequently conducted in the Paharganj area, leading to the arrest of the three co-accused and recovery of six smartphones, he added.

Later, a raid was conducted at the Bhogaon village, where Arun alias Gayle was nabbed with the stolen Apple iPhone. He allegedly admitted to receiving the device for resale but had not yet sold it.

Further raids led to the recovery of 16 more stolen smartphones. Out of the 23 recovered devices, five have been linked to mobile theft cases registered at the Lahori Gate police station, while efforts are on to trace the ownership of the remaining 18.

Police said three of the accused have prior criminal records in cases registered in Delhi and Mainpuri. Section 112 (Petty organised crime) of the BNS has also been added, given their history of habitual offences. PTI SSJ MNK MNK