The Special Task Force of South district police have arrested a youth and his juvenile accomplice in connection with the theft at St Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church in Neb Sarai area of South Delhi on October 9.
One of the accused Azad was arrested on November 13 from a de-addiction centre in Mehrauli where he was undergoing rehabilitation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), BS Jaiswal said that the 20-year-old accused Azad was arrested from a de-addiction centre and on his instance, the juvenile was apprehended from Maidan Garhi in South Delhi.
“On October 9, some persons had allegedly barged into a church in Neb Sarai and decamped with valuables before vandalising the property inside it. They had stolen valuable items like a gold and silver-plated crucifix, altar lamps, thurible and chalice estimated to be worth around Rs 5 lakh,” he added During investigation, the team of STF, under the supervision of Inspector Rajender Singh, developed information regarding the activities of criminals involved earlier in house theft cases in the area. The STF combed every scrapdealer in the area and visited their godowns to check for stolen goods.
Singh said that the two disclosed that they had committed several other thefts during the last few months in the area of Neb Sarai, Saket, Sangam Vihar and Mehrauli.\\“Three stolen candelabras and three brass altar lamps were recovered from their homes. Efforts are being made to arrest the remaining accused persons and scrapdealer Babu, who had bought these stolen items,” Jaiswal said, adding efforts are afoot to arrest the remaining accused and the scrapdealer Babu.