In a significant breakthrough, the Jaipur police have apprehended the alleged leader of a women's gang that specialized in stealing ornaments from jewellery shops across the city and other states. The arrest came after a meticulous investigation into a theft that occurred earlier this month.
The Modus Operandi: Distraction and Deception
The gang's method was carefully planned and relied on creating confusion. On January 3, three women entered Shyam Jewellers in Jagatpura market, posing as genuine customers. While they engaged the shopkeeper in a prolonged conversation, examining various pieces, one of them seized the opportunity. She quietly lifted an entire tray of silver anklets from the counter, concealed it, and the group then casually walked out of the shop.
The theft was discovered soon after when the staff checked the display and found the items missing. Following this, the jeweller's son lodged a formal complaint at the Airport police station, setting the investigation in motion.
How the Police Cracked the Case
The investigation team meticulously scanned CCTV footage from the shop and the surrounding market lanes. Tracing the suspects' movements frame by frame, they managed to identify one of the women. Acting on technical intelligence and surveillance, a police team tracked the accused to Kota and conducted a raid, leading to her arrest.
The arrested individual was identified as 38-year-old Neeru Bagri. During the arrest, police successfully recovered six silver anklets believed to have been stolen from Shyam Jewellers.
Confessions and Wider Criminal Network
During interrogation, Bagri made startling revelations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Sanjeev Nain stated that the accused confessed to forming a gang with other women, including her relatives named Mausam and Guddi, who are currently absconding. Search operations are underway to locate them.
The gang's strategy consistently involved using conversation and crowding around counters to divert the shopkeepers' attention while valuables were stolen. Bagri admitted that the gang was not limited to Jaipur but had committed similar thefts in several other states. Within Jaipur, they targeted areas under the jurisdiction of Airport, Pratap Nagar, and Jhotwara police stations.
In a further disclosure, she revealed that she and other gang members had been arrested and jailed multiple times in the past for similar theft cases. The motive behind the crimes, as per her statement, was to manage household expenses and fund her interest in travelling, for which the gang frequently moved between cities.
The police investigation is ongoing as they delve deeper into the gang's past activities and work to apprehend the remaining members.
