Karnal: Gang of transformer thieves busted, involved in 338 cases

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 26

The Karnal police claimed that four members of a gang — arrested on March 12 — were behind the theft of electricity transformers in Karnal, Kaithal and Kurukshetra districts. The accused have confessed that they were involved in 338 such thefts in the last three years, the police added. The accused are currently under the police custody.

The accused have claimed that eight to ten persons, including them were involved in the thefts. They used to target three to five transformers in a night, said inspector Harjinder Singh, incharge of detective staff.

The accused have been identified as Karar Hussain of Daulatpur village in Shahranpur district, Jisan of Salapur in Shamli district, Mustakim and Sharukh of Dadri villages in Gautam Budh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

The police said that they have recovered 650-kg copper wires — used in the transformers — and a car from their possession. The accused used to sell the copper for Rs 400-500 per kg in Delhi, the police said.

The officer in-charge said two members of the gang would conduct recce of the spot while others used to stay at a nearby dhaba on a national highway.

“They would call a taxi from Delhi at Rs 8,000 per night. They then would drop couple of the members near the target site and the remaining members would return to dhaba in the taxi,” he added. If they failed to open the transformer, the gang members would throw it in the field, Singh said.

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