Hyderabad: Sleuths of Commissioner’s task force on thursday arrested a two-member inter-State attention diversion gang that targeted people carrying cash after withdrawing from banks was caught by the Hyderabad police on Thursday. The police recovered Rs 9.40 lakh, four motorcycles, two mobile phones and a knife along with other articles from them.
Adressing a press conference, Police commissioner Hyderabad Anjani Kumar told that Akula Kiran and Gogula Thulasindhar, both natives of Kuppam Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, were involved in eight cases including three in Hyderabad. City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said the gang members would target people leaving banks after withdrawing cash. The gang would adopt different modus operandi to steal the cash from victims who travelled in cars or two-wheelers.
The duo moved in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and committed offences by adopting different techniques.
Involved in Many cases
Previously they were involved in 17 cases in Bengaluru. The modus operandi they adopted included sprinkling itching powder on the target, offering help and after diverting his attention committing theft of cash; dropping a Rs 50 or Rs 100 currency note on the road, when the target tries to pick up the gang, steal the cash and escape; puncturing the vehicle after identifying him in the bank and later when the target stops for repair, steal the cash; stalk the person carrying the cash from the bank and steal cash wherever he parks the vehicle.
The suspects were tracked down by the Commissioner’s Task Force (North) team following three offences in the city. The two along with the property were handed over to the Amberpet police for further action.