Indore: One serial robber caught, another absconding
Indore: An accused involved in several robberies in the city was arrested by Bhanwarkuan police on Tuesday on charges of robbery. His companion, who had come out of jail on bail only three months ago, is absconding. They have committed robberies in four police station areas including Bhanwarkuan, Kanadia, Khajrana and MIG police station areas within a month, in which they looted cash, mobile phones and motorcycles. Two of these crimes were committed on the same day. They robbed a vegetable trader in Bhanwarkuan on Thursday and later the same day robbed a woman of her gold chain in Kanadiya area. He had committed these crimes to repay the loan taken for arranging the bail of an absconding accused.
According to Additional DCP Zone 4 Abhinay Vishwakarma, a vegetable trader was robbed by unknown accused on Ring Road, Pipliya Rao, on Thursday. After taking cognizance of the crime, the police registered a case against unknown persons and started investigating the matter. Police examined about 500 CCTV footage to identify the accused. During investigation, the police came to know that an accused of the same Vivek was also involved in the robbery incidents that took place in Kanadia and Khajrana police station areas. On examining the CCTV footage of the respective areas, the police were able to identify both the accused as Arbaaz of Roshan Nagar, Khajrana and Aqeel of Ashrafi Colony, Khajrana.
On receiving information about Arbaaz roaming in Khajrana area, the police reached there and caught the accused. Police have recovered the motorcycle used in the crime. The motorcycle was stolen from Khajrana police station area. They also recovered a gold chain stolen from Kanada police station area, a mobile phone looted under MIG police station area, another mobile phone used in the crime and around Rs 3 lakh in cash. Two mobile phones were not recovered, police are trying to trace them.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to committing all the thefts along with Akil. Arbaaz was an e-rickshaw driver and Aqeel was in jail in a murder case and came out on bail three months ago after serving a 9-year jail sentence. He had taken a loan to get bail from jail. He beat up and stabbed a man to steal cash to pay off a debt. They used to threaten people with knives to get money and loot their cash so that they could not be traced. A day before committing robbery in Bhanwarkuan and Kanadia area, they had stolen a motorcycle from Khajrana area. Earlier two cases were registered against Arbaaz and four cases were registered against Aqeel. Police are searching for Aqeel and Arbaaz is being questioned about other past criminal activities.
