Gujarat: Six arrested for stealing 733 kg of copper wire from factory

Bhavnagar: The Bhavnagar Police's Local Crime Branch (LCB) has arrested six men for their alleged involvement in the theft of 733 kg of copper wire from a factory on the Talaja Highway and recovered property worth Rs 21.36 lakh, including a car allegedly used in the crime.

Five other accused are yet to be arrested. The theft took place at Khushbu Metal, a factory near the Kobdi toll plaza on the Talaja Highway, around 20 days before the arrests.

The case was detected on November 4 following a tip-off received by the LCB team while it was investigating suspects in connection with unsolved property offences in Bhavnagar city and rural areas.

According to the police, the tip-off indicated that six men were standing near a mobile tower amid bushes close to the newly constructed university campus on the Sidsar-Budhel Road, near Hill Park Crossroads.

"A Hyundai Creta was parked nearby, along with sacks containing copper wires," officials said.

The LCB team reached the spot and questioned the men about the ownership of the material. As they failed to produce bills or other documents or provide a satisfactory explanation, the police seized the wires as "suspected stolen property" and arrested them.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to stealing the copper wires from Khushbu Metal.

The police recovered 733 kg of copper wire valued at Rs 10.26 lakh, a car worth Rs 10 lakh and six mobile phones valued at Rs 1.10 lakh. The total value of the seized property was Rs 21,36,200.

The arrested men have been identified as Vishal alias Kamlesh alias Kamo Chandubhai Visavadiya (20), Raghu Merabhai Algotar (27), Kishan Butabhai Mewada (19), Rohit alias Rahul Valabhai Babariya (25), Vivek Jaydeepbhai Algotar (22) and Darshit Naranbhai Mer (29). All are residents of Bhavnagar.

Police have identified five other alleged accomplices as Karan Rameshbhai Dhaturatar, Sanjay Vashrambhai Mer, Kuldeep Algotar, Dharmik Gediya alias Begi and Yuvraj alias Y.V., who are yet to be apprehended.

The case has been registered at Vartej police station under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Police said the accused allegedly conducted late-night reconnaissance of factories to identify stored material before returning to steal it.

Two of the arrested men, Vishal and Raghu, also have previous cases registered against them at Ghogha and Vartej police stations under Section 305(A) of the BNS, among other provisions.

Further investigation is under way.

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