A Police Chase From Delhi To Rishikesh: Cunning Thieves Trapped By A Web Of CCTV Footage

New Delhi: Like a scene from a film script, the perpetrators used fake number plates to conceal their identities and attempted to flee from Delhi to Uttarakhand to evade the police. However, escaping the long arm of the law proved difficult. The Wazirabad police station, under the Delhi Police’s North District, successfully tracked the suspects by piecing together CCTV footage, leading to the arrest of two alleged burglars and the resolution of two separate theft cases. The police recovered significant evidence, including gold and silver jewellery, ₹42,670 in cash, burglary tools, and the scooter used in the commission of the crimes.

Hundreds of Cameras Scoured; Search Concludes in Rishikesh

North District DCP Niharika Bhatt stated that on October 10, unidentified thieves stole gold and silver jewelry as well as cash from the residence of Sanjeev Bhowmik in Wazirabad. Following a complaint, an FIR was registered at the Wazirabad police station under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was initiated. Given the gravity of the case, a special team was formed under the leadership of Sub-Inspector Naveen Sindhu, in-charge of the Sangam Vihar police outpost. Upon reviewing CCTV footage from the crime scene and the surrounding area, the team spotted two suspects arriving on a white scooter. The police then meticulously analyzed footage from hundreds of cameras along potential escape routes. The investigation led them to Bhajanpura, where the suspects were identified.

Acting on technical surveillance and local intelligence, the police team arrested Sameer, alias Saddam (23), in the Shivpuri area of ​​Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Based on information revealed during his interrogation, his accomplice, Muzzamil, alias Monu (26)—a resident of Bhajanpura, Delhi—was also arrested that same day. Stolen Scooter, Fake Number Plates, and Quiet Streets

According to the police, the accused revealed during interrogation that they would scout areas with low footfall to identify houses that were easy to target for theft. A stolen scooter was used to carry out the crimes. To evade the police and conceal their identities, the original number plate of the scooter was replaced with a fake one. After the thefts, they would hide the stolen jewelry and other items in their own homes. During the investigation, the accused also admitted to their alleged involvement in another burglary at a house in the Hardev Nagar area—a case for which an e-FIR had been registered at the Wazirabad Police Station. With this, the police claim to have solved two cases of theft.

Equipment for Melting Gold Also Recovered

From the homes of the accused, the police recovered a gold chain, a *mangalsutra*, five rings, two pairs of gold earrings, two silver chains, four pairs of toe rings, a silver spoon, two coins, a *kamarband* (waist belt), a *sindoor-dani* (vermilion container), and a pair of bangles. Additionally, the police seized ₹42,670 in cash, a woman’s purse, burglary tools, a broken lock from the complainant’s house, a gas burner used for melting gold, an electronic weighing scale, the scooter, and the clothing allegedly worn by the accused during the commission of the crimes.

Key Role Played by Police Personnel

The team that carried out this operation included Sub-Inspector Naveen Sindhu (In-charge, Sangam Vihar Police Post), Assistant Sub-Inspector Anil, Head Constables Deepak, Sandeep, Rohtash, and Ankit Bainsla, Constables Ashutosh and Neeraj, and Woman Constable Anupama. The entire operation was conducted under the supervision of Inspector Prashant Anand, Station House Officer (SHO) of Wazirabad, and the guidance of Shashikant Gaur, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Burari. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) stated that the successful apprehension of the accused was the result of coordinated efforts involving technical surveillance, CCTV analysis, and local intelligence.