New Delhi: A tampered licence plate and CCTV footage from over 90 cameras helped Delhi Police bust an inter-state burglary gang that had targeted railway colonies across the city during a week-long spree. The breakthrough came after investigators pieced together a partially visible registration number—UP24__557_—from grainy footage and matched it with 30 vehicles in the Uttar Pradesh transport database. Technical surveillance later placed the suspects in Jangpura, where police on Jan 16 caught the trio red-handed with stolen valuables after their latest break-in. The probe began on Jan 14 when Krishan Dev, a resident of Railway Colony, Kishanganj, reported a theft at his home. He said his family had gone to Gurgaon on Jan 13 and returned the next evening to find locks broken and cash of Rs 1 lakh, gold and silver jewellery, and 50 Canadian dollars missing. Deputy commissioner of police (North) Raja Banthia said investigators scanned footage from over 100 cameras near the crime scene. “One suspect was seen entering Railway Colony and surveying locked houses for 15 to 20 minutes. We got grainy footage of a number plate, and during inquiry, three people were caught,” he said. The accused—Bhoore (33), Arun Rathore (26), and Nishant (26)—confessed to another burglary two days earlier in Railway Colony, Gulabi Bagh. Raids at their rented homes in Sultanpuri and Mandoli led to the recovery of stolen property, including Rs 50,000 cash, gold and silver jewellery, 50 Canadian dollars and documents. Police also recovered 416 grams of silver jewellery stolen in another case. The trio told police they targeted railway colonies because residents were usually away during the day. They surveyed locked houses before striking and divided the loot after each crime.
