'Thak-thak' gang member held for stealing Delhi Police officer's pistol

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a 29-year-old man, allegedly a member of the 'thak-thak' gang, for stealing a Glock service pistol from the car of a police officer after breaking its window, sources said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Amit, a resident of Uttam Nagar, was apprehended by a team of the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) following a tip-off, said the source.

The stolen pistol belonged to a Crime Branch sub-inspector, and it was recovered from the possession of Amit in the Madangir area.

According to the source, the theft took place last Thursday (September 4) when the sub-inspector had parked his car outside an eatery in Maurice Nagar. On returning, he found the window of his vehicle broken, and a bag containing his pistol and other valuables missing.

A case was registered, and multiple teams of the Crime Branch and Special Staff were tasked with tracing the accused.

"Based on specific intelligence, the AATS carried out a raid at a house in the Madangir area, leading to Amit's arrest. He was unaware that the bag contained a police weapon," the source said.

During interrogation, Amit admitted that he intended to sell the firearm, but the police team managed to recover it before he could strike a deal, the source added.

The 'thak thak' gang is a group of thieves known for distracting drivers by knocking their windows to draw attention and steal valuables, sometimes breaking car windows to commit thefts.

Glock pistols, being used by Delhi Police since 2013, are compact, lightweight 9 mm cartridge weapons manufactured by an Austrian company.

PTI BM BM AMJ AMJ