‘Kachra’ gang scripts waste-side story, cops cut its run short
Lucknow's 'kachra' gang used garbage to scout homes for burglary, checking for vacant houses. Police arrested four members after two thefts.
This gang of burglars gave the term ‘cash from trash’ a whole new meaning in Lucknow. The so-called ‘kachra’ gang’s modus operandi was unique, using garbage for a recce of the houses they intended to target and then finding out whether the premises were vacant, according to the Lucknow police.
First, they dumped waste in front or inside the premises at night. Coming back the next day, they would check whether trash had been moved. If not, it was a sure indicator that the residents were away, giving the gang ample opportunity to strike later.
But as the oft-repeated saying goes the long arm of the law caught up with the suspects. The Sarojini Nagar police in Lucknow busted the gang and arrested four of the six members on Sunday and Monday.
Their crime came to fore with two back-to back theft cases in the Sarojini Nagar area, officials. In both instances, old clothes and garbage wrapped in polythene were thrown in the houses before theft. Police are investigating how many more houses were targeted.
“The members of this gang identified locked houses in residential areas after 10 pm with the help of a scooty and then threw garbage (wrapped) in polythene at the gate or inside the wall. They came back the next day and checked whether the items thrown the previous day were still there or had been removed,” said deputy commissioner of police, South, Nipun Agarwal.
“The gang has six members. Their leader Pappu alias Akram alias Chikna was arrested in a police encounter last (Sunday) night. Three other members of this gang Haroon, Pintu Kashyap, Amitabh Rastogi alias Vishal Rastogi were arrested on the way from Bluedart Tiraha to Rickshaw Colony (on Monday). A team has been deployed for two of their associates Irfan and Abbu Talib,” DCP said.
He added the men would also look for those houses where newspapers were not picked up for days as a sure indicator of the absence of the residents.
Once they were sure that there was nobody home, the gang members loosened the iron grills of the windows with a screwdriver and spanner, the DCP said.
After removing the grills, they broke the locks inside and stole all the goods, the police officer added. Once their job was done, they put the grills back in place without fixing them and fled.
“When the owner returned, he would find the house normal but the locks inside would be found broken, the lockers would be found broken. Later, when the police went and checked the entire house, it was found that the house was entered (into) by sliding the grills of the windows,” he added.
Police have identified three of the suspects as Haroon, 32, a Sitapur resident who gave e-rickshaws on rent, Pintoo Kashyap, 35, a car driver who used to drive the getaway vehicle and Amitabh Rastogi alias Vishal Rastogi, 35, who runs a jewellery shop.
“After the crime, they meant to give the stolen goods to their fellow criminal Amitabh for selling the stolen items. They changed their van and sat in a pick-up truck with delivery material like wires, cardboard, pipes loaded in the back. This was done so that if police checked late at night, the gang could escape by saying that they were out to deliver goods. Vehicles used for the recce and the crime had fake number plates,” the DCP added.
“We are currently investigating how many houses these people have targeted. The accused are history sheeters. The accused Pintoo has as many as 22 cases in Sarojini Nagar, Para, Gosaiganj and Itaunja among others. Haroon has eight cases registered in his name,” the DCP said.
