AHMEDABAD: Gujarat police have dismantled a gang of thieves from Tamil Nadu that targeted the Anant Ambani pre-wedding event in Jamnagar. The modus operandi of the gang of 12 habitual criminals was to smash car windows and steal valuables from parked vehicles.
Police have seized stolen goods worth over ₹10 lakh and cracked 25 cases linked to the gang’s spree, marking a significant breakthrough in tackling high-profile thefts.
The gang's mastermind, Jagan Bala Subramanian, confessed they arrived in Jamnagar by train, during the Ambani pre-wedding event in March last year. High security foiled their plans there, forcing them to shift tactics. Undeterred, they made their move at another location, smashing a car's windows.
"This gang targeted parked cars in cities across the country, from Pune, Nashik and Shirdi to Delhi and Ahmedabad, using iron rods loaded with bullets to shatter windows," said a Crime Branch official.
Acting on a tip-off about 12 suspicious youths from South India staying under a bridge near the Ajwarod Highway intersection, a police team raided the location. "We recovered stolen items, including laptops, tablets, expensive phones, gold and silver jewellery and cash, along with 180 metal rods and three bullets," the official revealed.
During questioning, the suspects confessed to being members of the Trichy gang, notorious for breaking car windows and fleeing with valuables. "All 12 have been arrested and further action is underway," added the officer, highlighting the gang’s extensive cross-state operations.
The gang members, highly educated according to police, employed clever tricks to distract car owners. "They would tell the driver or owner that money had fallen or oil was leaking, then flee with valuables from the car," an official revealed.
The mastermind, Jagan, meticulously chose high-traffic spots like bus stands, railway stations, markets and malls, ensuring ample parked cars to target. Investigations uncovered the gang’s unique technique: they widened large hairpins, wrapped them in rubber, and inserted iron or metal pellets to shatter car windows with precision.
The sophisticated approach and calculated execution underscore the gang’s efficiency in pulling off thefts across multiple cities.
They confessed to breaking car windows and stealing valuables in areas under Raopura, Gorwa, Akota, and Sayaji Ganj police jurisdictions, as well as in Ahmedabad, Ahmednagar, Goa, Nashik, Pune and Shirdi.
The confessions highlight the gang’s extensive reach and their role in numerous unsolved theft cases.