Gang with modus operandi similar to 'Ali Baba's 40 thieves' nabbed

The Arabian Nights tale of 'Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves' was taken too seriously by a gang of six in South Delhi, with the Delhi Police unearthing the activities of the gang who used to operate in a way similar to the eponymous '40 thieves' in the tale.

The miscreants used to hide their stolen valuables in a rocky 50-metre cave and also took refuge in it during police raids.

The tiny 50-metre cave in Moti bagh near the railway tracks was used by the accused not only as a hideout but also as a store room for stolen items like jewellery, mobile phones, laptops, LED TVs and cash. As the cave was left unattended, no eyebrows were raised by people in the surrounding area.

A breakthrough was achieved in the case after a cop working on a theft case nabbed one member of the group, who revealed the details about others. The Anti-Auto Theft Squad of South district was shocked after the accused took them to their hideout near the railway tracks in Moti Bagh.

The den was their hideout place to hoodwink the cops during the raids. The gang was responsible for robbing homes in posh areas like Hauz Khas, Sarojini Nagar, Mehrauli, Vasant Vihar, South Campus and R K Puram.

"Hiding stolen goods in a cave is a unique modus operandi that we have got to know from these criminals. They knew that this would be the least suspected area during the raids. This cave was their safe haven," said Chinmoy Biswal, Additional DCP South.

The arrested persons – Virender, Kunal, Raju, Santosh, Bablu and Anand – told police that they also used to cook food and consume liquor inside the cave. Additionally, utensils and liquor bottles were recovered from the cave.

"We have recovered stolen cash worth Rs 50,000, some gold coins, laptops, digital cameras and expensive mobiles. This is a huge recovery," said a top cop.

The investigation also revealed some interesting facts, like the fact that the criminals used to enter the houses through the window and break open the locks with the help of iron wrench. They not only stole cash but also expensive electronic items.

While committing the crime, they used surgical hand gloves to avoid their fingerprints. "All of them are drug addicts. The accused used to frequent prostitutes and, in order to cater the expenses incurred on drugs and lust, they started the burglary business," said a police source.