Kochi: The modus operandi of the gang that stole iPhones during the Alan Walker music concert at Bolgatty has shocked even the police. This high-tech group travels by flight, stays in five-star hotels and carries out thefts with remarkable ease and coordination. The 39 mobile phones stolen during the concert were dismantled and sold as parts to prevent police from tracking them using their IMEI numbers.
The theft, which occurred on October 6, was orchestrated by two gangs based in Mumbai and Delhi. While 20 phones were recovered from the Delhi gang, 3 were seized from the Mumbai group. The police are still working to trace the remaining devices.
The Mumbai gang arrived in Kochi by flight on 6th afternoon. After executing the robbery they stayed at a five-star hotel for the night and took a flight to Mumbai the next morning. They carried out another robbery during the Alan Walker show in Pune on October 18. They flew from Pune to Mumbai after the theft. The culprits purchased the tickets worth Rs 2,000 online.
Meanwhile, four members of the Delhi gang arrived in Kochi by train on the morning of October 6, stayed in a lodge, and attended the show. After committing the theft, they returned to the lodge and left by train the next morning. According to the police, the gang attempted to sell the stolen phones after reaching Delhi. The stolen phones were sold to traders in Chandni Chowk’s Chor Bazaar.
Shortly after the theft, Kochi police launched a daring operation in Delhi to track down the gang. Given the suspects' strong local influence, Kerala police conducted their search in Delhi’s Daryaganj area with assistance from the Delhi Anti-Terrorist Squad. One group was apprehended in Daryaganj, while another was caught at Shanti Park in Mira Road East, Mumbai. Twenty phones were recovered from the Delhi gang and three from the Mumbai gang. This included 15 iPhones.
Twenty mobile phones were recovered from the residence of Atik Ur Rahman, the leader of the Delhi gang and a notorious criminal from Daryaganj. Police revealed that the phones were hidden in a children's bag. Rahman, who has been involved in more than ten cases, including attempted murder and theft, had evaded capture for seven years. Police also arrested Atik Ur Rahman’s associate, Waseem Ahammed. Ahammed was involved in four cases, including a robbery at a 2022 concert in Bengaluru.
In Mumbai, Sunny Bhol Yadav (27) and Shyam Baranwal (32) from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested. All suspects will be brought to Kochi for detailed questioning. Yadav and Baranwal are accused in four and seven other cases respectively.
After reviewing the concert's video footage and CCTV recordings, the investigation was expanded to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Police suspect that more Delhi-based gangs were involved in the mobile phone thefts. The investigation has been challenging, as the gang members avoid communicating with each other during the thefts.