Inter-state casting pipes thieves' gang busted in Rajkot, 15 nabbed

Rajkot: Rajkot rural police on Thursday managed to foil the nefarious plans of a gang of inter-state casting pipes thieves while they were plotting to execute another robbery on Rajkot-Porbandar highway in Upleta.

Cops arrested 15 members of the gang and with this also solved the theft they had committed in Upleta around a fortnight back.

The gang members admitted of 14 thefts of casting pipes in just one year from different states.

Police said that one of the gang members Taiyab Khan, a native of Mewat in Haryana, had conducted recce of the spot. Once they were confident, they had planned to strike on Wednesday night. However, the local crime branch (LCB) sleuths had received tip-off about the gang based on which they were nabbed along with three trucks and weapons. Cops said that the gang also keep dangerous weapons like sickle, knives, stones and iron rods with them in case they are challenged.

Khan revealed to the police police that he conducted surveys in different places of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. After the survey, Khan used to bring his gang in trucks to steal casting pipes. The stolen pipes are then transported to Delhi for selling. Except Khan and another member Irshad, no other member of the gang had ever been arrested by police. The duo was booked for theft by Seoni police in Madhya Pradesh last year.