In Lucknow, over 200 CCTV cameras trail helps bust gang hitting locked house
“A joint team of the PGI police station and the Southern Zone Surveillance Cell arrested four members of the gang that had been quietly scouting neighbourhoods and striking homes left unattended,” said additional DCP South Vasanth Rallapalli.
A gang targeting locked houses in the city’s southern zone was busted on Tuesday after PGI police reviewed footage from over 200 CCTV cameras. The analysis, paired with four FIRs lodged between November 8 and 18, helped trace suspects allegedly scouting residential areas and striking unattended homes where residents later reported jewellery, cash and other valuables missing.
“A joint team of the PGI police station and the Southern Zone Surveillance Cell arrested four members of the gang that had been quietly scouting neighbourhoods and striking homes left unattended,” said additional DCP South Vasanth Rallapalli.
He added, those arrested have been identified as Suraj Gautam alias Saddam, 26, Shivam Vishwakarma alias Kallu, 19, Mudit Saha alias Ayush alias Bengali, 24, and Akash Verma, 24.
Police said the men worked small jobs during the day and allegedly used that time to recce residential lanes. They would return late at night, break locks and steal valuables before sharing the loot among themselves, Rallapalli added.
DCP South Nipun Agarwal said the breakthrough came after police tracked the suspects’ movements from multiple camera feeds across Vrindavan Yojna, Vrindavan Colony and Eldeco-II, where four FIRs had been lodged between November 8 and 18. The accused were arrested behind an apartment in the PGI area.
An iron safe, a laser printer, a blanket, a motorcycle and an electric scooter allegedly used in the thefts, along with ₹7,350 in cash, were recovered, according to a press note.
Police said the gang is linked to four recent break-ins in which residents reported jewellery, cash and other valuables missing. Key accused Suraj Gautam has more than 10 previous criminal cases across multiple police stations, while the others also face theft-related cases.
City-based social activist Mukesh Bahadur Singh, who was among the victims, said, “We, as Singh family, express gratitude and appreciation for Lucknow Police and UP Police for arresting the gang behind the thefts, including the incident at our house. They recovered the locker stolen from our home. This builds trust and confidence towards the UP Police.”
Police said further investigation is underway to identify any additional accomplices.
A gang targeting locked homes in Lucknow's southern zone was arrested after police analyzed over 200 CCTV feeds, linking them to four break-ins. The suspects, aged 19 to 26, scouted neighborhoods by day and stole valuables at night. Recoveries included cash and stolen items. Additional investigations are ongoing to find more accomplices.