Beware! Hand that rocks the cradle can steal your bib too

While recalling an incident of theft, who do you think was the culprit – that suspicious looking man in the corner of the store or the demure woman with a child in her arms? Think again if you choose the man.

Women criminals, working in gangs, have taken to the streets and are using children as a blanket of immunity. CCTV footage of a recent theft at a jewellery store revealed that one such gang distracted a salesperson at a Vejalpuir store while a woman lifted some jewellery boxes, using a child to shield herself from view. In another incident, a gang simply walked away with Rs38,000 kept on the counter of a saree store.

Amdavadi women criminals are now operating in other states too. A woman from Kubernagar was held by crime branch for a Rs25-lakh theft in Kolkata. CCTV footage from a posh jewellery store, sent by cops in the eastern city, showed her in the act. She along with her brother would pose as high-profile buyers and steal only the most expensive jewellery from stores in other cities including Hyderabad, Jalgaon, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

Others, meanwhile, are using their appearance to gain the trust of their victims as well as to escape from being caught, said police officers. Recently, a jewellery store owner was distracted by a good-looking young woman while her female accomplice made off with Rs3 lakh kept near the cash register.

Again, a young girl walked out of a wedding function at a city club earlier with a bag of valuables worth Rs15 lakh. CCTV footage showed she was wearing clothes that belied her act.

As many as six such incidents, involving women, have recently been recorded, including a failed attempt by a gang of women to break into a jewellery store in the Ellisbridge area.

Temptation can cloud anyone’s judgement, felt JB Rana, inspector of Anandnagar police station. “Many women use their looks or behaviour to lure a target while their partner makes off with the valuables. Some even dress to show that they hail from a well-heeled background to gain trust with ease and avoid being profiled as a suspect,” he explained.

Even if caught, these femme fatales have ways of getting around the law concerning the arrest of women, pointed out Rana.

“Unlike males, who know the consequences of being arrested, if a woman is caught stealing, she does one of two things. Either she will plead ignorance and innocence, or remind us the law, which we know all too well. They are well aware that the police cannot detain them for long,” said Satellite police inspector BN Chavda.

Such women are neither averse to pinning the crime on their own children simply to get away nor involving kids in the act, he further stated. Minors recently caught lifting bags and belongings at bus stops and railway stations confessed to have been doing so under directions from their mothers, who keep watch nearby.

“They will then plead for the child’s innocence, claiming it to be a mistake. There are even instances where the victim has refused to file a complaint, out of pity.
Little do they know that these criminals will be back on the streets in no time,” Chavda said.

Police recently caught a pregnant woman in connection with a recent jewellery store theft in the Vejalpur area. “Her act was clearly seen from the CCTV footage of the store. Yet, she refused to admit to the crime, knowing that no coercive action would be taken against her,” said Rana.

Police said many of these women hail from a criminal background and belong to certain communities. They operate along with their gangs out of areas such as Kubernagar, Dariapur, Shahpur and Meghaninagar among others. In addition, the influx of offenders from other states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka has also been noticed, they added.