The Delhi Police have busted a snatching syndicate in Shahdara district that deployed children to steal valuables from passengers at railway stations and bus stops, they said on Thursday.
The syndicate was exposed when a juvenile was apprehended on Monday from Anand Vihar bus stand with a stolen mobile phone.
During interrogation, he told the police that he worked for Raj Kumar, who led a gang that included Anil, Govind, Yogesh, Ankit and Nasir.
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40 mobile phones
The minor also admitted to the involvement of other children from his age group in the racket. Based on this information, police teams raided known hideouts used by Kumar and his associates, and arrested them.
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DCP (Shahdara) Nupur Prasad said over 40 mobile phones and around ₹4.7 lakh have been seized.
The police have registered a case under the Juvenile Justice Act, which provides punishment with imprisonment for a person employing a juvenile for criminal activities.
Kumar allegedly trained the children as pickpockets and snatchers, and posted teams of three to four kids at busy places such as Anand Vihar bus terminal and Rajiv Chowk metro station.
Kumar, who has been involved in 16 criminal cases, is infamous in his locality in east Delhi’s Jawala Nagar. He, however, had many admirers among the youth.
“Kumar recruited minors from impoverished families from Jawala Nagar slums to take advantage of a legal provision in the Juvenile Justice Act,” said a police officer.
Even if the youngsters who worked under him were nabbed for stealing, they were usually released within 24 hours under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Tasks assigned
‘Supervisors’, who were also in their teens, ensured that the children did not abscond with the stolen booty. The children were assigned various tasks based on their “talent”.
One was trained to choke the target using a special technique, while another youngster who had slender fingers slid wallets and mobile phones out of his targets’ pockets.
“The juveniles used to hand over the stolen goods to their supervisors,” the DCP said.
Each child was paid ₹200-₹300 every week.
The police said Kumar had studied up to Class VI. He is married and has three children.