Gone in 15 minutes

Police Bureau Investigation’s (PBI) Chittagong team have recently discovered a gang of thieves who pretend to be construction workers and steal valuables from shops by setting up a tarpaulin cover in front of them. Inspector Sontos Kumar Chakma of PBI’s Chittagong unit confirmed the issue to the Dhaka Tribune and said they have arrested Liton Chokroborty from the 11-member gang of thieves. Sontos told the Dhaka Tribune: “Though the thieves have different blue-collar jobs in Chittagong, they engage in such thefts. Several years ago, they came together and started stealing from different areas of the country, except for the port city.” He also added: “In the past five months, the gang committed theft in 12 districts in the northern part of the country. They change their location, mobile phones and IMEI numbers right after stealing, so that no one can trace them.” Police could not trace the gang earlier. However, while investigating a theft that occurred at a Walton showroom in Thakurgaon, the PBI team found this case was linked to the gang of thieves. The gang members are Liton alias Kawua Liton, Amir, Abdullah, Babu, Rokon, Picchi Alauddin, Shain, Rubel, Sumon, Shahed and Liton Chokroborty. Liton Chokroborty told police that Amir, Abdullah and Babu were the leaders of the gang. Their strategy includes visiting the targeted district’s areas and observing shops or business organisations of those areas for three to four days. The gang also checks into hotel rooms during their operations. During each operation, Kawwa Liton, Picchi Alauddin and Rubel sets up a tarpaulin cover in front of the targeted shop or acts as a buyer and seller of bedsheets – creating a distraction in front of the shop. Sumon and Amir lift and hold up the shop’s shutter without breaking its locks. Rokon, who is the shortest, enters the shop through the small gap and bags all the cash from the counter. Meanwhile, Shain, Shahed and Liton Chokroborty stay in nearby areas in the guise of pedestrians. Rokon, after stealing all the cash and valuables, puts them in a bag and later hands it over to their leader, Kawua Liton, who stays at the hotel. After carrying out the mission within 15 minutes, they leave the area and return to Chittagong. Finally they sell all the stolen valuables at Chittagong’s Reaz Uddin Bazar, and share the money amongst themselves. PBI Inspector Sontos said that they are now on the look out to arrest the other members of the gang.