Jamshedpur, Dec. 18: Three youths ? one of them the son of a police officer ? were arrested last night for their involvement in a series of robberies at petrol pumps .

A joint team of Chandil, Bagbera, Sidhgora and Ghatshila police arrested the youths, all in their early twenties, from the Bagbera area. All three were sent to judicial custody this evening.

Mritunjay Prasad (21), son of sergeant major Tejwan Oraon of city-based traffic training school, is one of the arrested youths. Sukhram Karmakar (26) alias Thumka and Pravin Kumar Jha (21) are the other two youths held by the police.

Mritunjay is a student of chemistry honours in Karim City College.

The youths were a part of the gang involved in looting at least seven highway petrol pumps in a span of two months from Chandil, Ghatshila and Mango police station areas.

The youths confessed to having looted at least seven fuel stations in October and November. They also admitted to stealing two-wheelers from Ranchi and in and around the steel city.

Chandil police station officer-in-charge Madan Mohan Singh said the police started the investigation after they found a black Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle at a petrol pump in the Chaulibasa area under Chandil police station.

The vehicle had been abandoned by the criminals after it developed a snag.

Singh said, ?Mritunjay and other gang members had stolen a black Bajaj Pulsar from Kotwali police station area in Ranchi. They had changed the number plate and also inscribed ?police? on it.?

?After police verification, it was found that the gang was using the stolen vehicle for the heist,? added Singh.

The police said it is conducting search operations to track down two other youths. They also own arms and were involved in looting the petrol pumps.

?The youths confessed that they committed the crime to earn fast money. Thumka, who has a criminal background, was the mastermind. The other two youths fell into his trap,? Singh said.

The police said Thumka had links with Akhilesh Singh?s gang, who is in jail now. Thumka is wanted by the police for other criminal activities.