Spate Of Robberies Rattles Residents In Twin City, Police Promise Action

Back to back robbery incidents has unleashed fear and a sense of insecurity among the residents of the Twin City with Bhubaneswar alone reporting three such incidents within a fortnight time. 

On February 5, two miscreants robbed an equal number houses in Kalinga Vihar area of the State capital area. CCTV footage shows the miscreants entering both the houses while the owners were away. They escaped after cleaning the house of money and valuables without resistance or detection. Police suspect the Involvement of locals in the crime.

“They took two watches, Rs 4,000 cash and four silver coins after breaking the locker of an almirah in the house,” said the owner of one of the burgled houses.

In another incident, miscreants robbed Rs 25,000 and gold ornaments from a house in Mancheswar’s Samegadia area recently. In this case too, the miscreants took advantage of the owner’s absence in perpetrating the crime.  

Moreover, recently, two miscreants were caught red handed while lifting mobile phone from a woman near Infocity police station in Patia.

The locals caught hold of the fleeing looters and handed them over to the police only after giving them a thrashing. 

The police put them under arrest and interrogating them to ascertain their role in other loots, if any.

“We suspect that a particular criminal gang is involved in multiple robberies,” Uma Shankar Dash, Bhubaneswar DCP, said. He added, “We hope, we will catch them soon and stop the increasing crime rate.”

Earlier on Monday, the Badambadi police had arrested Hemant Das, a history sheeter in connection with the theft of gold ornaments worth over Rs 3 lakh from a house at Bikash Nagar area in Cuttack. 

Known as ‘Crowbar Man’ for his valiant house break-ins, police recovered fake a Aadhaar card and Rs 22,000 from Das’ possession.  

Das was previously arrested on October 4, 2021 from Bhubaneswar in connection with a theft case.

He began his crime career in 1986 and has been active for over 36 years. “Das committed over 200 burglaries and had 110 cases registered against him,” said ACP Amarendra Panda, Cuttack Zone 6.