The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested three women suspected to be part of 'Bobby Gang', which looted small jewellery shops in Delhi-NCR.
The accused have been identified as Shimla (60), Sheela (50) and Kaushal (40). They allegedly stole jewellery worth lakhs of rupees from a shop in outer Delhi's Nangloi area on August 16, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.
However, the kingpin of the gang, identified as Seema alias Bobby, is still at large.
During interrogation, the arrested gang members told the police they joined the gang to earn money for a better life like Bobby, who operates at Loni in Ghaziabad and different other locations in Delhi, said Yadav.
According to the police, the gang used to target small jewellery shops where CCTV cameras are not installed and only one or two salesmen remain present at a time. They used to enter the shops in two separate groups on the pretext of purchasing new jewellery in exchange of old ones.
While one group would divert the attention of the jeweller or salesman, another would commit the theft. They also used to keep artificial rings and chains to replace the original ones in the shop to avoid being detected before they left.
"Before joining the gang, the three accused - who live at a slum cluster in northeast Delhi's Nand Nagri area - worked as domestic helps," said Yadav, adding the police recovered five silver anklets from their possession.
In a separate case, the police have arrested two women who allegedly entered into a private function and snatched a guest's gold chain.
The victim raised an alarm immediately and the two accused were overpowered by security guards, who called up the police control room. But their third associate escaped, said an official.
When a police team comprising women officials conducted a check, they found no stolen necklace. Later, when the entire area was combed down, the policemen recovered the stolen gold chain from under a car parked outside the gate, said the official.
During interrogation it emerged that the duo threw away the chain when they realised that they were trapped. A case has been registered and investigation is underway, the official added.
