24 August,2016 08:28 AM IST | | Asif Rizvi
Kurla cops nab two thieves who targeted passengers who fell asleep while waiting for early morning or late night trains; they spent the money on clothes, shoes and drugs
The next time you fall sleep while waiting for your train, be sure your belongings are safe from thieves. The Kurla Railway Protection Force (RPF) has arrested two such thieves who targeted passengers who had fallen asleep while waiting for late night or early morning trains. The arrested duo, aged 15 and 17 years, worked together with one keeping an eye out for police while the other committed the theft.
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CCTV footage shows one boy nudging the victim to check if he is asleep
A robbery at Kurla station, captured on CCTV camera on August 21, shows the two young boys dressed like tourists, moving around the platforms (see pics). After they zero in on the target, they first check if he is really asleep. Then one keeps an eye out for the police while the other steals cash from the passenger's pocket. He and his accomplice then flee the spot. It was later found that they stole Rs 15,000.
The boy then goes and speaks to his accomplice just a few feet away
"The robbery was being watched by the Kurla RPF officials, and while the boys were about to flee, they were chased and nabbed from the station. It was a quick and alert response from the officials," said Suresh Atri, senior police inspector, RPF Kurla.
While his accomplice keeps an eye out for the police, the boy robs the passenger
The duo, residents of Govandi and Chunabhatti, were arrested and brought to the station house of Kurla RPF. On being questioned, they confessed to two more thefts in a similar manner in the past week. They stole cash, baggage, laptops and mobile phones from the sleeping passengers and operated in different stations of the city.
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The victim is still sleeping blissfully, while the two crooks walk away
"We are conducting parallel investigations in the matter to discover their previous records, and the railway stations where they have previously committed thefts. The duo were handed over to the Government Railway Police for further investigations," said Atri.
The duo divided the stolen goods between them, and used the money to buy new clothes, shoes, doing drugs, and scouring the city to find new targets, said an official.
