Bhubaneswar: Four women allegedly belonging to the notorious Banjara gang were arrested by the Capital Police on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in stealing smartphones and valuables from people at crowded places and on city buses in Bhubaneswar.
The arrested women, who are residents of Madhya Pradesh, were reportedly staying in the city and targeting crowded locations where they could easily pickpocket unsuspecting victims.
According to reports, the accused women used to move around busy areas and public transport facilities, particularly city buses, to carry out their thefts. They allegedly targeted passengers and commuters, stealing mobile phones, cash and other valuable belongings whenever they got an opportunity.
Several complaints of mobile phone thefts and missing valuables had been reported from different parts of the city.
Acting on the complaints, the Capital Police launched an investigation and managed to identify and apprehend the four women. Police also recovered stolen smartphones from their possession.
The police are now verifying their involvement in other theft cases reported across Bhubaneswar.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether more members of the gang are active in the city.
