Serial thieves put behind bars

[ Pisi Zauing ]

MIAO, 12 Jul: The month of June witnessed a series of thefts in Miao township. Altogether seven small shops located in different pockets of the town were looted. But the shopkeepers failed to exhibit swiftness in filing FIRs, which emboldened the thieves to continue their acts of crime.

Soon after an FIR was lodged, a police team led by Miao PS OC Inspector Lukchi Kamcham and Sub-inspector T Tanka Chetry swung into action, under the supervision of SDPO Takir Zirdo, and arrested two habitual offenders who were involved in the serial theft case.

On 4 July, a criminal case was registered at the Miao police station under Section 380/454 of the IPC with regard to stealing of Rs 50,000 in cash, jewellery, CCTV sets and cardamoms.

Based on human and technical intelligence, investigating officer SI T Chetry cracked the theft case on 7 July by arresting a habitual offender, identified as Ngwathola Yobin (20), a resident of Gandhigram. The police recovered some of

 the stolen properties, such as a CCTV monitor and a dao, from his possession.

During interrogation, Yobin revealed the involvement of another habitual offender, identified as Apan Wangsu, alias Jojo (25), of Niausa village in Longding district. He was arrested on 9 July, and the police recovered Rs 24,000 from his possession.

Further investigation is on to ascertain their role in other cases and to recover the remaining stolen properties.

Meanwhile, the United Miao Mission and the Miao Singpho Ramma Hpung commended the police for their prompt action, and appealed to the shopkeepers of the township to install CCTV cameras in their shops.