Delhi Police Crack Down on 'Doodh Chor' Gang Following Viral CCTV Footage of Milk Theft
In an unusual crime spree targeting everyday essentials, Delhi Police have arrested two alleged members of a gang dubbed the "doodh chor" (milk thieves) after a viral CCTV video exposed their systematic theft of milk crates in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar. The footage, dated March 26, shows a man in an autorickshaw loading crates packed with milk pouches around 6:50 am, shortly after they were unloaded outside vendor shops.
Police Investigation and Arrest Details
Over a week after the video surfaced on social media, police traced and apprehended the duo from outer Delhi's Shiv Vihar. DCP (Outer) Vikram Singh stated that the team meticulously analyzed around 300 CCTV footages and activated secret informers to identify the suspects. A tip-off on Friday led to a trap near a church in Shiv Vihar, Vikas Nagar, where a three-wheeler tempo approaching from the Najafgarh drain side was intercepted.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of 14 empty milk crates. The accused, identified as Mohit, 27, and Ayush Maan Pandey, 19, failed to produce valid documents for the tempo, which was later found to be stolen from Prem Nagar. Police confirmed that the vehicle itself was also stolen.
Modus Operandi and Criminal History
The accused confessed to stealing milk and curd consignments from Uttam Nagar and selling them to supply points in nearby Dabri and Bindapur. Police linked them to at least two incidents involving the theft of 14 milk crates and 10 kg of curd. Mohit has a prior criminal record, with involvement in 38 cases of theft, snatching, and motor vehicle theft, and was released from jail in February this year. The duo was also found to be involved in recent vehicle thefts, leading to the recovery of a stolen scooter and a motorcycle.
This case highlights a pattern of petty pilferage evolving into a racket focusing on basic necessities, underscoring the challenges in urban crime prevention and the importance of surveillance in cracking such unconventional thefts.
