Rourkela: Police Sunday busted an air conditioner (AC) theft racket and arrested 10 persons, including a salesman, following a complaint by the owner of an electronics showroom near Bisra road here in Sundargarh district.
Of the 25 ACs stolen in the past six months from the showroom, police recovered 23 from the possession of the arrested persons who included the customers. A case was registered and the accused produced in a court, Zonal DSP PK Mishra told media persons at a press meet held in Uditnagar police station (PS).
The accused have been identified as Kishore Biswal (23), the main conspirator, his aide Bidyasagar Mulachandani (40), and customers of the stolen ACs, Bishal Bhora (40), Rajendra Barik (42), Manoj Joshi (44), Prakash Singh (41), Jitendra Patra (36), Bhola Singh (54), Naresh Dey (38) and Talkesh Mulchandani (50).
Two others are absconding, the DSP said adding that they would be arrested soon.
According to sources, Kishore worked as a salesman in the showroom of Abhishek Mittal. He was stealing the ACs and selling these with the help of Bidyasagar. The two had stolen 25 ACs in six months.
Mittal suspected foul play after he found six ACs missing and lodged a written complaint May 26. Based on the complaint and investigation, a team of Rourkela police swung into action and zeroed in on Kishore who confessed to the crime and revealed the names of the co-accused.
PNN
