The Gurugram Police arrested three members of notorious “Thak-Thak”, aka “Oil Gang”. Police also arrested two of the receivers, who used to buy stolen laptops, i-phones, jewellery, watch and other items from the gang members. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the gang was involved in over 100 such incidents in Delhi, Guurgram and other areas of the National Capital Region (NCR).
As many as 25 laptops, chargers, a car, a bike, an I-pad, jewellery, slingshots and cash have been recovered from them. The accused are currently being interrogated about the heists and location of his other gang members.
The accused were identified after a very painstaking effort by crime team which visited multiple spots and scanned CCTV footage.
The gang, which police suspect includes 40 members, usually targeted parked and moving cars. They used to break windows of cars with the help of slingshots or pellet-bow and sometimes distracted drivers by knocking on the window, puncturing tyres or pouring oil under car's hood at red lights. At times, they even staged minor accidents.
“As the rest of the gang members distracted drivers, one of them would steal bags from cars. The gang members have confessed to having been involved in over 100 incidents of theft and many more cases may come to light now,” the police said.
The arrested accused have been identified as Bhola (24), Sanjay (22), Vinay (34), Sanju (22) and Rajesh Kumar (46) all residents of South Delhi's Madangir area.
Police said Bhola and Sanjay were held on April 22 following a raid at water Wonder Park in Noida and were in police custody for 10 days. Sanju, Vinay and Rajesh were held on April 28 and are under police remand for five days.
“During interrogation, they told police that they are members of the 'Thak Thak' gang. The gang members diverted the attention of car by using diversionary tactics. Their attack used to be so swift that once the driver of the car got down to check, gang members who used to lurk around, decamped with the valuables kept inside the car. By the time the occupant of the car realized the theft, the gang members were nit there to be found,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Crime, Shamsher Singh.
“Special police teams were formed to investigate the alarming increase in such cases. Breakthrough came following a tip-off and the criminals were arrested. They used to come to Gurugram from South Delhi area via car or bike. They originally hail from tribal areas of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu. The receiver Vinay owns a computer shop and Rajesh is a jeweller by profession in Delhi's Madangir area,” said Anti Snatching staff-Incharge, Sandeep Kumar.
Sanju told the police that he started stealing bags from cars at a very young age. The gang member usually targeted the Gurugram's upscale areas like DlF, South City and Sushant lok for theft. “He was infamous in his area as an expert thief,” said, ACP Singh.
Police said earlier the perpetrators used to steal money from the cars but after demonetization, they had started stealing laptops and other valuables items. They are also drugs addicts and committed the crime to fulfil their wishes.