40 theft cases solved as 6 gangsters held in Kaithal

With the arrest of six persons, including a scrap dealer, allegedly involved in transformer and vehicle theft cases, the Kaithal police have solved 40 cases — 38 transformer theft cases registered at Pundri, Titaram, Rajound and Dhand police stations; and two bike thefts cases registered in Panipat and Pehowa.

The police have recovered two vehicles used in the crimes, two stolen motorcycles, tools used for theft, Rs 5,000 in cash, and 87.8 kg copper wire stolen from transformers, said DSP Sushil Prakash. The operation, carried out on the directions of Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kalia, was a major achievement in cracking down on the rising incidents of electricity transformer theft, he added.

The accused were involved in stealing copper wires and other equipment from transformers, he said.

According to a complaint filed by UHBVN Pundri SDO Ravindra Kumar, unidentified persons had stolen copper wire from a transformer in a field in Kakaut village on the night of November 8, 2024.

A case was registered at the Titaram police station in this regard, and the investigation was handed over to the anti-vehicle theft staff with strict orders for swift arrests.

Acting on intelligence inputs, team members arrested Joginder Singh of Guhna and Aman of Dundharehdi from Padla Road, Kaithal, on February 5.

The arrested accused were remanded to three-day police custody. Further interrogation led to the arrest of three more accused — Rohit, alias Mithun, from Khurana; Rahul from Narnaund, Hisar; and Hritik from Buchi village — on February 6.

They were remanded to one-day police custody for questioning.

Prakash said the gang used motorcycles to conduct recce of transformers in fields during the daytime, and carried out the thefts at night.

The stolen transformer equipment and copper wire were sold to scrap dealers, including Mohammad Sabir, a resident of Jundla, Karnal.

Following further investigation, the police arrested Sabir from Assandh on the evening of February 6.

All six accused were currently on police remand, and further investigation was under way, he added.