Gang stealing oil from trucks on highways busted, 2 held

The Gautam Buddh Nagar police on Wednesday said they have arrested two members of a gang that targeted trucks on highways along NCR and stole fuel from their tanks.

The gang's operations were busted after one of the accused approached Site 5 police station in Greater Noida with a complaint that his truck got lifted from Peripheral highway on Monday, a senior officer said.

A probe was taken up in the matter but the man, identified as Salman, kept changing his statements, drawing police suspicion on his claims, Superintendent of Police, Greater Noida, Ranvijay Singh said.

"When interrogated, Salman told police that the truck belonged to one Mursaleem of Hapur and it was being used by his gang to target other trucks on highways crossing NCR and as far as Meerut. The gang would steal fuel from other trucks using rubber tubes or in some cases used bucket after denting the fuel tanks to collect the oil," he told reporters.

The stolen fuel would then be sold across places in Delhi NCR by the gang, Singh said.

Based on inputs, Mursaleem was also held from near Dasna toll plaza even as four of his associates escaped, the officer said.

"During further probe, it emerged that the gang wanted to file a false complaint of their trucks theft because it was used in multiple crimes and had got identified. They had got a new number on the truck, which was found near the Masuri toll plaza. They wanted to claim insurance money for the 'stolen' truck," Singh said.

The missing truck, a WagonR car, illegal firearms and some ammunition along with Rs 83,000 cash were seized from their possession and a case has been registered against the gang at Site 5 police station, he added.