ITANAGAR, Jan 5: In a significant breakthrough, the Itanagar Police have apprehended a notorious gang responsible for a string of thefts in the Itanagar Capital Region. The arrests followed a month-long investigation led by Inspector K. Yangfo, Officer-in-Charge of PS Itanagar, with the assistance of a team comprising SI RK Jha, SI Padam Padi, SI Tana Suraj, and SI Samuel Ngupok, under the supervision of SDPO Kengo Dirchi and the guidance of SP Rohit Rajbir Singh, IPS.
The gang’s activities came to light after multiple theft cases were reported in the city. On December 11, 2024, a man was tricked outside the SBI Itanagar branch and robbed of ₹3,00,000 when the suspects distracted him by scattering fake currency notes. A similar case occurred on December 9, when cash was stolen from a scooty parked at the V-Mart basement in Ganga Market. Earlier, on October 28, an ATM engineer lost ₹1,50,000 and personal documents while servicing a cash deposit machine at SBI’s Main Branch.
Using advanced surveillance techniques and local intelligence, the police tracked the suspects, who frequently fled to other states, such as West Bengal, to evade capture. Acting on credible information, officers arrested two suspects near the SBI Itanagar branch. A third suspect was apprehended hours later at Harmutty Railway Station based on leads from the initial arrests.
The arrested individuals were identified as Chandan Gowala (57) and Rakesh (47) from Rajganj, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, and Deepak Sharma (57) from Baradari, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The gang relied on a Hero Honda Glamour motorcycle with a fake registration number to carry out their operations.
Investigations revealed that the gang targeted individuals handling cash in banks or parking lots. They used clever distractions, such as dropping fake currency notes or creating diversions by spitting on victims, to steal cash and valuables. Their elderly appearance and temporary stay in Arunachal Pradesh helped them operate without raising suspicion.
SP Rohit Rajbir Singh commended the team for their relentless efforts and assured appropriate rewards for their dedication. He urged the public to remain cautious, avoid leaving valuables unattended in vehicles, and report any suspicious activities..
