Following the spree of snatching and robbery in the last fortnight here, Jorhat police have arrested seven persons in connection with the thefts.
A police source informed that Swapan Das of Natun Garamur area and Akash Basfor of Pulibor in Jorhat were arrested on charges of their involvement in the incident of theft in a wholesale grocery shop in the wee hours of April 16.
The duo along with two others were caught in a CCTV camera recording breaking the locks of the shutters of the shop and decamping with Rs 12 lakhs after breaking the cash-box, the source stated.
The source also informed that the images captured in the CCTV of the shop fit the duo’s appearance and the costumes worn by them at the time of committing the crime had also been recovered from their homes.
The police are trying to catch the two other men involved in the crime, as mentioned by the source and that investigation was on to recover the stolen amount from the shop.
Meanwhile, four others have also been arrested on charges of their involvement in recent incidents of snatchings and thefts including motorbike lifting, the source said.
Among the arrested persons is Hari Prasad Tanti of Lohpohia Tea Estate, who along with an associate on a motorcycle, reportedly, snatched a bag containing Rs 1.5 lakhs from an elderly woman on April 8 at Thana Road here.
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The source informed that one cheque book, two mobile handsets and a bank passbook belonging to the woman, which were inside the bag, have been recovered from from Tanti’s possession.
Efforts are on to apprehend the other youth involved in the incident and also recover the money that was inside the bag snatched from the woman, the source added.
Another youth Manas Pratim Kalita was arrested from Gyanpeeth, Choladhara area after his accomplice, a minor, was caught by shopkeepers lifting a cashbox from Chowk Bazar on Tuesday last.
Another youth Saddam Hussain of Nimati area was arrested on Tuesday and stolen mobile phones were recovered from his possession.
He, reportedly, burgled a mobile phone shop at Bisturam Barooah market on Monday night.