Chhatrapur: The suspicion that a family based gang was involved in a series of robberies near banks here was finally confirmed with a man being arrested while trying to rob Rs 2.50 lakh from a person outside an SBI branch, police said Monday.
The accused, A. Gopi, 55, of Kalasandhapur was arrested Sunday, but his elder son managed to escape on a bike which he had purchased with stolen money.
Gopi was nabbed by his victim, who overpowered him and handed him over to the police. Gopi admitted to his offence after he was brought to the police station and questioned.
Gopi’s younger son is lodged in Jeypore Jail, Chhatrapur IIC Priyaranjan Chhotray said. Efforts are on to nab Gopi’s absconding son and others involved, he said.
Cash worth Rs 23,000 and tools for breaking bike dickeys were seized from Gopi, the IIC said. The accused was produced in a court Monday and was remanded to judicial custody.
The IIC said the robbers were operating through a five-member gang comprising Gopi and his two sons.
The gang’s modus operandi was to roam around banks and keep an eye on people, particularly senior citizens and single persons visiting banks to withdraw money.
Later, Gopi and his elder son would meet the persons after they withdraw money and come out of the bank. They would pose as bank managers, finance or insurance company agents and lure them to park money with them at greater rates of interest.
The gang would keep their victims engaged in conversation, and snatch the money and flee when they lower their guard. They also break open bike and scooter dickeys to steal money.
The gang robbed Rs 30,000 from senior citizen Umakanta Mishra outside the SBI branch in Chhatrapur September 26, Rs 1.7 lakh from a couple of Gangapur outside the Utkal Gramya Bank branch March 21 and Rs 35,000 from a senior citizen of Bada Madhapur outside the SBI branch in Chhatrapur August 2.
The name of Gopi and his sons also figures in two robbery cases in the Polsara region of Ganjam district.
PNN