Mobile theft gang nabbed; 6.57 lakh in bank a/c frozen

Hyderabad: The sleuths of Special Operations Team (SOT), Shamshabad zone along with Petbasheerabad police nabbed a criminal gang committing mobile thefts in weekly market areas in and around the city. Police also seized 50 stolen mobile phones, net cash worth of Rs 20,000 and frozen Rs 6.57 lakh in their bank account.

According to the Balanagar DCP P V Padmaja, the main organiser Kotamma (32, absconding) is the native of Meerpet and staying in a rented house at Karmanghat along with her daughter and son and another organiser B Naveena (23) who is sister-in-law of Kotamma is also staying along in same rented house.

Both are habitual mobile phone thefts organisers. They are organising mobile thefts by using juveniles in the weekly market places in the limits of Cyberabad, Rachakonda and Hyderabad commissionerates and other districts of Telangana state. Kotamma was involved in several cases of cell phone thefts under Rajendranagar police station limits.

She also said the organisers identify the venue of weekly market and move to the place including along with their juveniles. The juveniles commit the mobile phone thefts from pockets/purses of the victims who are single particularly women. After stealing 3 to 5 phones in one market they move to another market. Later the organiser collects the mobile phones and sells in different areas in Hyderabad.