Gang of juvenile mobile thieves busted in Mah

Nagpur, Mar 9 (UNI) Police have busted a gang of juvenile offenders, hailing from Jharkhand and West Bengal, for allegedly stealing mobile handsets here.

The police have arrested five persons, including two local shopkeepers, and taken six juvenile delinquents into custody in this connection, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Madhukar Pandey.

The arrested have been identified as Chhotu alias Ajay Vinod Matho (19), Raj Meghnath Matho (20), both residents of Sahebganj district in Jharkhand, Sudama Vilas Chauhan (19), a resident of Asansol district in West Bengal, the alleged leaders of the gang, Ashok Nandlal Chandwani and Nandlal Khitaldas Dudhani, both residents of Nagpur and shopkeepers, who allegedly bought the stolen handsets, he said. The names of the other six boys were not released.

Chhotu, Raj and Sudama had brought the six boys, aged between 7 and 17, to the city and were using them to steal mobile handsets from unsuspecting people in crowded areas, especially market places, Mr Pandey said, adding, the gang would operate in groups of four and later, sold stolen handsets to traders Chandwani and Dudhani.

Acting on a tip-off, the police interrogated Chhotu, which led them on to the entire operation, the DCP said. The police had seized 17 handsets of various makes from the room where the juvenile offenders were staying, and another 37 from the two traders, he added.

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