Chittoor police on Tuesday arrested a nine-member gang on charges of being involved in the theft of two-wheelers and mobile phones, and seized 15 motorbikes and 20 mobile phones, worth a total of ₹20 lakh, from their possession.
The accused include five youths from Vellore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and four from Chittoor and Palamaner sub-divisions. All the accused are aged between 19 and 27.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) N. Sudhakar Reddy, presenting the accused and the seized property at a press conference here, said that a special team was formed comprising Chittoor Rural West and Urban Police to track down the gang after several complaints were registered at police stations across the district.
The special party conducted random vehicle checks at Gudipala, Tavanampalle, and Chittoor municipal limits.
First, the police personnel spotted six youths on three motorcycles who reportedly attempted to evade police checks at the MCR Junction on the busy Chittoor-Vellore road.
After a brief chase, police intercepted the six youths and took them into custody. Upon interrogation, they revealed the whereabouts of three of their accomplices who were later nabbed at Tavanampalle and in Chittoor II-Town police station limits.
The modus operandi of the gang was to steal new motorcycles from rural areas of Chittoor sub-division and sell them off in Tamil Nadu and villages along the inter-State border at throwaway prices.
Six of the accused are wanted in several cases of vehicle theft in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. A case was registered and further investigation is on.
