Ghaziabad Police Crack Down on Burglary Ring Led by Ex-Tihar Inmates
In a significant breakthrough, Ghaziabad police have apprehended four individuals who were recently released from Tihar jail, linking them to a coordinated series of burglaries that targeted both residential properties and jewelry establishments across the city. The arrests came after a swift investigation that pieced together evidence from multiple crime scenes.
A Spree of Thefts Across Key Locations
According to police officials, the criminal activities spanned from February 1 to February 5, during which the gang executed multiple break-ins. The first reported incident occurred on the night of February 1, when intruders forcibly entered a bungalow in the upscale Raj Nagar area while the owners were absent. The burglars managed to steal a small locker containing important documents and a passport. Homeowner Ashwani Chaudhary discovered the theft upon his return the following day and promptly filed a formal complaint at the Kavi Nagar police station.
The criminal spree continued on February 5, when police received an urgent complaint regarding an attempted break-in at two jewelry showrooms located on Ambedkar Road. Investigators revealed that around 3 a.m., a group of seven men broke the lock of one showroom and were in the process of cutting chain locks on the rear door of an adjacent store. Alert neighbors noticed the suspicious activity and immediately notified the authorities, causing the suspects to flee the scene empty-handed. Despite no theft occurring, a robbery case was officially registered in response to the incident.
Additional Burglary and Arrest Details
Later that same night, police were informed of another burglary at a locked flat within the SPS Apartment Society in Sahibabad. In this instance, the perpetrators successfully stole gold and silver jewelry along with a significant amount of cash before escaping in a white Ertiga vehicle. Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police Piyush Kumar Singh stated that comprehensive CCTV footage from various locations, combined with eyewitness accounts describing seven individuals, enabled investigators to conclusively establish that the same gang was responsible for all the thefts.
On Tuesday, a specialized crime branch team successfully arrested four suspects near an underpass close to Sahibabad railway station. The arrested individuals have been identified as Roshan Yadav (26), Nimish Aggarwal (34), Raghu Kumar (42), and Aman Saxena (28). During subsequent interrogation, Aggarwal allegedly confessed to having previously worked as a sales manager at one of the targeted jewelry stores but was later dismissed from his position. He then secured employment at a jewelry showroom in Delhi, where he was implicated in stealing ornaments, leading to his incarceration in Tihar jail.
Formation of the Gang and Recovery Efforts
While serving his sentence, Aggarwal reportedly connected with Raghu Kumar and other associates. Upon his recent release on bail, he struggled to find legitimate employment and subsequently regrouped with his fellow former inmates to plan and execute the burglaries. The suspects have admitted to attempting the jewelry shop break-in on Ambedkar Road, as well as carrying out the burglaries in Rajnagar and Sahibabad. Police further disclosed that the stolen locker from Raj Nagar was later broken open and discarded in Vijay Nagar after the perpetrators found no valuables inside.
Authorities have confirmed the recovery of some gold jewelry from the accused and are actively pursuing efforts to trace and apprehend the remaining gang members involved in these crimes. The investigation remains ongoing as police work to fully dismantle the network and prevent future incidents.
