Police crack mystery of stolen Lutyens’ nameplates

WITH THE arrest of three people, the Delhi Police claim to have cracked the theft of brass nameplates of high-ranking government officials from the Lutyens’ Zone. The Indian Express had first reported about the thefts on January 21.

Police said the accused sold the nameplates at throwaway prices. “Two of the accused would dress up as scrap dealers and roam around with a wheelbarrow full of garbage early in the morning. This would mislead people and not arouse suspicion of security personnel. While roaming the Lutyens’ Zone, every time they spotted something valuable, they would quickly put them in the pile of garbage. They would remove the nameplates using iron tools,” police said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) R P Meena identified the accused as Mohammad Munir (22), Saif Ali (22), and Abdul Majid (40). Police said some stolen lights were also recovered from their possession.

Sources said that a “trap” was laid near bungalow number 100 at Lodhi Estate last week. “The accused aroused suspicion of our local staff during patrolling. When they were asked to stop, they started running, but were caught,” said a police officer.

Police said Munir and Ali were the ones who dressed up as scrap dealers. They allegedly committed eight such thefts in Lodhi Estate, Tughlak Road and Tilak Marg, police said.

Apart from nameplates, they stole bulbs and lights fixed outside government bungalows, police said. They would sell the stolen articles for as little as Rs 100-200 and use the money to buy drugs, police said.

The first such theft of a brass nameplate was reported on January 3 when the staff of Viceadmiral A K Chawla approached police. According to the complaint, the brass nameplate from outside the house — on which the address ‘42 Lodhi Estate area’ and the officer’s designation was written — went “missing” overnight.

Police sources had said that the electroplated metallic letters were stolen and the board they werepastedonwasfoundamong bushes adjoining the house. In December, a similar incident was reported from the house of a Lieutenant General in the Army, but a case was not registered. The third stolen brass nameplate was reported from ASG Pinki Anand’s home by her husband Devendra Nath on January 10.

A team of Special Staff and local police were tasked to crack the case. Police sources said an associate of the three accused, who is already facing theft charges, is on the run.

Abhinav Saha One of the nameplates was stolen from this house in the high-security Lodhi Estate area.