Aurangabad: Police in the district have arrested eight members of an inter-district theft gang accused of stealing mobile phones and auto batteries, in what authorities describe as a major breakthrough in curbing rising petty crime linked to drug addiction in the region.
The arrests were made by Haspura police following a tip-off and subsequent investigation into a mobile phone snatching incident reported in the Muslimabad area. Addressing the media on Friday at the Daudnagar subdivision police office, SDPO Kumar Rishi Raj confirmed the recovery of five stolen mobile phones and batteries from four auto-rickshaws. The accused were identified as Bakhora Sah (Salempur village), Pappu Kumar (Haspura market), Raju Kumar and Yogendra Kumar (Haspura Adarshnagar), Sudhir Kumar (Bareilly Chak), Pankaj Kumar (Bala Bigha), Rishu Kumar (Hardeyal Bigha), and Vishal Kumar (Devkund village).
The breakthrough came after Bakhora Sah was apprehended based on CCTV footage linked to the mobile phone theft of Naushad Rangsaz on Thursday. The stolen phone was recovered, and under interrogation, Sah admitted to his role in multiple thefts, leading police to the rest of the gang and additional stolen property.
Police said several of the accused have prior criminal records. Sah has previously served jail time for theft, Pappu Kumar has been incarcerated in connection with a liquor-related offence, and Yogendra Kumar is facing charges under the Arms Act. Authorities are now investigating whether the gang members are connected to other theft cases across different jurisdictions. All eight accused have been remanded to judicial custody following interrogation and preliminary legal proceedings.
SDPO Rishi Raj praised the coordinated effort led by SHO Dinesh Kumar, with contributions from sub-inspectors Saraswati Kumari, Khushboo Kumari, Sugandh Kumar, and Santosh Kumar, along with armed police personnel.
Theft Surge Tied to Drug Abuse
Local residents and law enforcement have expressed growing concern over the influence of drugs, particularly brown sugar, in Haspura. Authorities believe a surge in petty crime—including thefts and snatchings—is closely linked to substance abuse among youth.
