Nine-member theft gang busted in Odisha’s Bolangir; trader among 10 arrested

Bolangir Police have busted a nine-member interstate theft gang that allegedly travelled from Odisha's Nayagarh to carry out a series of thefts in the district. A trader accused of assisting the gang by remaking stolen jewellery was also arrested, taking the total number of arrests to 10.

The breakthrough came after investigators recovered fingerprint evidence from a looted jewellery shop in Chudapali.

Fingerprint Clue Cracks Case

According to police, the gang targeted temples and jewellery shops before fleeing the scene. One of the accused, Panchu Behera, a habitual offender, was identified after his fingerprint was found at a jewellery shop looted on January 31 in Chudapali.

Bolangir SP Abhilash G said the fingerprint was cross-verified, leading to Behera’s identification and arrest.

Following his apprehension, police examined mobile tower data from the area during the time of the theft. A suspicious phone number helped investigators trace another suspect from Nayagarh. During interrogation, the two allegedly revealed details that led to the arrest of the remaining members of the gang.

Of the nine gang members, six are from Nayagarh district and three from Bolangir.

Thefts at Multiple Locations

Police said the accused were involved in thefts at jewellery shops in Loisingha and Chudapali, a hardware shop in Bolangir town, and the Salepali Shiva Temple.

Investigations revealed that the gang conducted detailed reconnaissance before executing the crimes. Members based in Bolangir allegedly carried out recce operations and identified targets, while those from Nayagarh executed the thefts.

Also Read: Temples under threat: Series of temple thefts reported in Puri- Land of Lord Jagannath

A special police team formed to probe the cases relied on fingerprint and technical evidence to track down the accused.

Local residents have expressed relief following the arrests.