ITANAGAR, Oct 9: In a major breakthrough against the surge in property theft cases, the Itanagar Police have arrested a notorious serial mobile phone thief and recovered 20 stolen handsets of various popular brands — including Vivo, Samsung, iPhone, Realme, and Poco — worth an estimated ₹10 lakh.
According to police sources, the arrest came after a complaint was filed on October 8, 2025, when a victim reported that an unknown miscreant had broken into his workplace at Solung Ground, ‘0’ Point Tinali, Itanagar, during the night of October 4–5, and stolen his mobile handset. Acting swiftly, Itanagar PS Case No. 152/2025 under Section 305(a) BNS was registered, and the investigation was entrusted to ASI Tatum Tari.
A special team, led by OC Itanagar, Insp. K. Yangpo, and assisted by SI R.K. Jha, ASI Tatum Tari (IO), ASI M. Kamgo, and Hct. J. Zirdo, was constituted under the close supervision of SDPO Itanagar, Shri Kengo Dirchi. The team’s coordinated efforts and use of technical surveillance led to the arrest of the accused.
The thief was identified as Arun Baruah (19), a temporary resident of Ganga Market, Itanagar. During sustained interrogation, Baruah confessed to having stolen over 100 mobile phones from various locations across the Itanagar Capital Region over the past year. He further revealed that he sold the stolen phones at cheap rates to local labourers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and tracker operators in and around the Ganga Market area.
Police investigations also uncovered that the accused’s elder brother, Anup Baruah, was arrested earlier in June 2025 in connection with Itanagar PS Case No. 31/2025, related to copper wire and battery theft, and has been in judicial custody since.
The operation, executed under the direct supervision of SP Itanagar, Shri Jummar Basar, marks a significant success in cracking down on property-related crimes in the Capital Region.
SP Basar commended the prompt and coordinated efforts of the police team, stating that the Itanagar Police remain committed to ensuring public safety and will continue to act firmly against habitual offenders.
