Paradip, March 1: Police today claimed to have busted an inter-district gang of jewellery snatchers by arresting three persons, including a jewellery shop owner. Firearms and stolen jewellery were recovered from their possession.
The arrested youths — Susant Kumar Sahu and Tapan Kumar Bhoi — confessed to the crime, the police said. Jewellery shop owner Anuradha Nandi, who is from Billhat in Kisan Nagar police station limits, was also taken into custody as he used to buy stolen gold jewellery from the duo, the police added.
“The robbers, who were experts in snatching jewellery, operated in Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jajpur districts. The duo committed over a dozen of such crimes in three months. A country-made revolver, stolen gold ornaments, a motorbike and cell phones were seized from their possession,” said Suresh Devidatta Singh, superintendent of police, Jagatsinghpur.
The duo would often target women riding pillion on motorbikes on deserted roads and highways. The victims were robbed of their jewellery at gunpoint.
The duo have never been arrested before. The duo were both fashion conscious and in their early twenties. They would wear trendy clothes and were drawn towards fast lifestyle. They would steal jewellery in part to meet the expense of a fast lifestyle.
The jewellery shop owner was hand in glove with the duo and was raking in huge profits by procuring the stolen jewellery at throwaway prices from them, Singh said.
“We have so far detected 11 cases of robberies committed by them. We believe that they might have committed more crimes than what they have confessed to. There is every possibility that that there are more active members in the racket run by the duo. Investigation is under way to find more clues,” Singh said.