Representative image for an arrest.
Credit: iStock Photo
Jajpur (Odisha): Odisha Police on Thursday said they busted an armed burglary gang by arresting 14 people and recovering stolen items worth Rs 40 lakh from their possession.
Police also seized several weapons, a four-wheeler, two motorcycles and 15 mobile phones used in the crimes.
The arrested persons hail from Jajpur, Kendrapara and Cuttack districts, police said.
Speaking to reporters, DIG (central range), Satyajit Nayak said 11 of the arrested persons are members of the burglary gang, while three others are purchasers of the items stolen by the gang.
Jajpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Yash Pratap Shrimal said multiple teams were formed regarding the growing number of robbery and burglary cases in the district for the last eight months, and they were on the job to nab the accused.
Acting on a tip-off, the teams conducted raids at two different locations and apprehended two accused, he said.
Based on inputs provided by them, police managed to arrest the remaining people along with three receivers of stolen property, the SP said.
"We recovered 225 gm of gold, 2.39 kg of silver jewellery, Rs 5.9 lakh in cash, three vehicles including two motorcycles, 15 mobile phones, weapons, and house-breaking instruments," he further added.
"We have identified the remaining three members of the gang and they will be arrested soon," he added.
The accused are involved in 30 burglary cases in six police station areas in Jajpur district, including 16 in Dharmasala, six in Brahmabarada, three in Kuakhia, two each in Balichandrapur and Jenapur and one in Badachana.
The accused were produced before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody after rejecting their bail pleas, the police said.