With the arrest of seven persons, Delhi Police today claimed to have busted an all-women gang of robbers which used to strike at shops located in outer, west and northwest Delhi in the wee hours of the day.
Police arrested the accused, identified as Geeta (45), Kanu (35), Santoshi (30), Bhoori (30), Manori (30) and Bharti (23) along with an autodriver, Upender Singh (45), who used to provide them logistical support in committing the burglaries.
With the arrests, Outer district has so far worked out 17 cases of burglary reported during 2015, police said.
"After a spat of such robberies, our team was studying the modus operandi of the gang. During scrutiny of CCTV footage, it was found that in one case some women were seen carrying out a robbery at a shop. Based on this input, they started working on the women burglars," said Additional DCP (outer) Shweta Chauhan.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that an autorickshaw was being used to transport them. On receiving information that one Geeta is the leader of the gang, a trap was laid and the said auto was stopped with six women in it.
"During interrogation, the women disclosed that they are residents of Uttam Nagar and used to recce the target first and during wee hours they used to commit robbery," she said.
Their modus operandi was that five women would provide cover with their shawls outside the shop as if they were changing their clothes, while one of them who was lean and the youngest, would sneak in after other members broke the middle lock of the shutter and bent it.
The women would then steal cash and other items, she added.
The autodriver Upender, who is resident of Uttam Nagar, used to ferry the criminals for both recce and also at the time of carrying out the crime.
So far an amount of Rs 34,500, an instrument for breaking locks, a bag of the gas agency and the auto has been recovered, police said.
