Dharmshala News
Thieves in undergarments: Kangra police bust gang after spate of thefts
The gang, which was targeting houses in Himachal Pradesh, was caught at a private rest house near the Baglamukhi temple.
Dharamshala, August 4: In a dramatic breakthrough, the Kangra district police have nabbed an interstate gang of thieves, known for their unusual and elusive methods. The gang, which was targeting houses in Himachal Pradesh, was caught at a private rest house near the Baglamukhi temple.
During a press conference on Saturday, SP Kangra Shalini Agrawal elaborated on the gang’s unconventional method of committing thefts. The thieves would operate wearing undergarments, apply oil and grease on their bodies to avoid leaving fingerprints and escape if confronted. Their tactics also included using stolen two-wheelers, which prevented them from being easily identified in CCTV footage.
The arrested gang comprises ten members – eight men and two women – who are linked to several burglaries in Kangra, Dehra, Jawalamukhi, Una, Rakkad, Nurpur, Palampur and Dadh. The police action comes after months of investigation into the spate of burglaries in these areas.
The gang would rent cheap guesthouses near temples with their families so that they could blend in to avoid suspicion. They would scout for big houses on the roadside during the day, and identify targets that could be easily reached after dark. At night, they would use slingshots to throw stones at houses to find out if the occupants were sleeping and if there was a security dog. Once they were sure, they would use large screwdrivers and cutters to forcibly enter by removing window grills.
The breakthrough in the investigation came when police teams led by Superintendent of Police Kangra and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Dehra Anil Kumar analysed CCTV footage that revealed four suspects fleeing towards Jawalamukhi on a stolen motorcycle. The clues led to the gang’s hideout at a guesthouse in Jawalamukhi, where they stayed from July 21 to 23.
The arrest is a significant achievement for the Kangra police, which is now focusing on recovering the stolen items and further dismantling the network. The case highlights the innovative strategies used by modern criminals and the importance of consistent and adaptable law enforcement strategies.
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