As hooch biz dries up, gangs get

The hooch tragedy in the city that led to more than 150 deaths has also forced gangs involved in the trade of hooch to look for better 'business' options. These gangs have now taken to stealing laptops.

As a result cops are now shifting their focus to such gangs that usually steal laptops from cars. The move comes after several such incidents were reported in key areas such as Navrangpura, Satellite
and Naranpura.

Explaining the sudden spurt in laptop thefts, officials said that one possibility could be that the strict police action following the hooch tragedy has severely affected the business of gangs involved in hooch trading.

Hence the gangs have taken to stealing laptops.

A senior official said the sudden rise in laptops and valuables being stolen from cars have led them to believe that such gangs are back in operation. Officials also said that a number of members of such gangs, who were caught earlier, have now been released on bail.

The modus operandi used by the gangs in both kinds of offences is the same.

For instance, on July 24, Vasifkhan Pathan had parked his car near Parimal garden when a laptop worth Rs25,000 and a blackberry mobile phone worth Rs 10,000 were stolen from his car.

In another case, that occurred in the Navrangpura police station's jurisdiction, one Kanu Parbiya lost Rs70,000 kept in the glove compartment of his scooter.  The incident occurred at Dinesh Hall lane, when two unidentified youth on a bike asked him for directions. When Parbiya was busy giving directions, somebody stole Rs70,000 from the scooter.

"The gang which normally operates in these cases is also the one which deals in the hooch business. The modus operandi wherein unidentified people talk to a person and tell him that he has dropped something is the same as that of the gang which runs the hooch business," an official said.