A notorious gang of robbers, who gained access into households disguised as domestic helps, have been arrested by the police in Chittagong.
During two days of drives, forces from the Chawkbazar police station managed to apprehend four members of the gang known as Bhola Group, which gained its name as its members all hailed from Bhola. Some more members of the group, however, remain on the run.
During primary interrogation, the detainees – ring leader Md Shahid, and his cohorts Md Mofiz, Parvin Akhter, and Rehana Begum – said they monitored their targeted house for several days before going there and offering services of a domestic help. Several more days would then be spent to gain the trust of the family before finally robbing the house when no one was looking.
However, when they faced difficulty in tricking their targets, the domestic helps mixed different poisons with food and stole goods while their employers remained drugged.
The gang confessed of robbing around 20-22 houses in Chittagong during the past six years, the police said, adding that they suspect the real number to be much higher.
More than 10 tolas of gold bars worth over Tk5 lakh was also recovered from the robbers’ possession.
Chawkbazar Officer-in-Charge Aziz Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune they made the arrests based on a tip-off; the detainees have been shown arrested in a theft case lodged with the station.
The Bhola Group members were active in Chawkbazar, Kotwali, Bakialia and Bayezid areas, the OC said.
Using the money gained through their exploits, Mofiz had constructed a building back in his own village in Bhola, the OC added.
The police were now trying to arrest another group of thieves known as the Barisal Group, which had a similar mode of operation and was active in the city’s Bakalia, Bayezid, Double Mooring and Halishahar areas, Aziz further said.
