Ragpicker by day, burglar by night: Delhi Police arrests 22-year-old thief

New Delhi: A ragpicker by day and a burglar by night, a 22-year-old man has been arrested for breaking into unguarded commercial offices overnight and selling stolen items in east Delhi's grey market, Delhi Police said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Akbar alias Haddi, has been involved in crime since his juvenile years, he said.

"On March 18, complainant Amit Garg reported that his office, located in Shakarpur, had been burgled. He had locked the office on March 17 around 6 pm but upon reopening it the next day at 10 am, he found that 10 laptops, three binoculars and a router were missing," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (East) Abhishek Dhania said.

Upon inspecting the premises, he noticed that the sliding window latch was unsecured, suggesting forced entry.

A case was registered and further investigation was taken up. CCTV footage, field inquiries and coordination with informers helped confirm Haddi's location, following which he was apprehended. Ten stolen laptops were recovered from his possession, the police officer added.

Dhania said the accused targeted commercial offices left unguarded overnight. He gained access through unsecured windows or weak entry points and planned to sell the stolen items for quick cash.

Further investigation is underway and police are verifying if the accused is involved in similar crimes, the DCP added.