Multi-state RRU theft racket busted, four held with 12 units

Delhi Police busted an interstate gang involved in the theft and illegal resale of Remote Radio Units (RRUs) and arrested four men in a crackdown on a network targeting critical telecom infrastructure, officials said on Monday.

During the raid on Saturday, police recovered 12 stolen RRUs worth around ₹48 lakh, a taxi used to transport the equipment, specialised dismantling tools, and a large quantity of scrap telecom components.

RRUs are essential transceivers installed at mobile towers to process voice and data.

Their theft can cripple communication services, including emergency numbers like 112 and 102, said deputy commissioner of police (crime) Vikram Singh.

“Telecom companies suffer both service disruptions and heavy financial losses, as stolen units must be replaced immediately. After multiple complaints of theft, we launched week-long surveillance and carried out 16 coordinated raids across areas like Seelampur, Welcome and Ghonda in northeast Delhi,” Singh said. “Due to high local resistance, we embedded officers in these areas to build human intelligence.”

The suspects frequently changed hideouts and concealed the stolen RRUs, but police tracked them using technical surveillance and informer networks. The four arrested are Mohammad Samiruddin (25), a taxi driver from Welcome who transported the RRUs; Mohammad Zaheem alias Zaim (25), an AC mechanic from Moradabad, UP; Mohammad Zaid (20), a jeans factory worker from Seelampur; and Mohammad Sultan alias Shobi (21), who runs a bangle manufacturing unit in Ghonda.

Along with RRUs, police recovered dismantling software and tools, and scrap from disassembled telecom units. The gang is believed to be behind at least eight thefts in Delhi. Authorities are working with telecom companies to match the recovered units with reported thefts.

According to Singh, Delhi has increasingly become a storage and transit hub for stolen telecom gear, with handlers constantly changing bases to evade detection. Since the crackdown began, the crime branch has arrested 52 suspects and recovered telecom assets worth over ₹10 crore, including 524 RRUs, 110 BBUs, and 161 Jio batteries from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam.

Verification of the seized RRUs and forensic analysis of digital tools are underway. “The interrogation of the accused will help identify others in the syndicate. Protecting telecom infrastructure is critical — it directly affects public safety and emergency communications,” Singh said.