Commissionerate Police on Friday busted an inter-state all-women gang of robbers involved in stealing valuables from various shopping malls in Bhubaneswar.
As per official sources, nine members of the gang have been arrested by Nayapalli police. Senior officials said that all the arrested women robbers hail from neighbouring West Bengal. Most of the members of the gang used to steal products including cosmetics and other items in their sarees after entering shopping malls.
Mostly the gang members come to Bhubaneswar and other parts of the state during Rath Yatra and other festivals. Sources said the gang had targeted a shopping mall in Nayapalli area two days back.
Police managed to nab the gang members when they again tried to steal articles in a similar fashion. Not only small, the women robbers also used to steal big electronic gadgets as well.
Sources said that after looting articles, they used to sell them at much lower rates outside.
They come to Bhubaneswar during the festive seasons. They target mostly shopping malls, and cosmetic items, said ACP Sanjeev Satpathy.
According to Satpathy, the gang members carry bags inside their clothes. “We have seized products worth Rs 2 lakh which were stolen by them,” he said.
The senior police official said that it is an organised racket and the gang is involved in loot in different parts of the country. The gang members stay mostly in hotels and return back after committing crimes.
“Our team will move to West Bengal as some of the members of the gang have left along with the stolen articles,” Satpathy added.