Thieves steal road roller, caught while on their way to Maharashtra-Telangana Today

A team of investigators, after analysing footage from nearly 64 surveillance cameras, narrowed down escape route taken by the gang and caught them in Jeedimetla police jurisdiction

Hyderabad: They might be small-time crooks, but their targets were indeed big.

Four thieves joined hands and set out to steal a road roller, which usually weighs a whopping 8,000 kg. The gang pulled off the theft from Balanagar in the city and headed to Maharashtra, where they intended to sell it in scrap. However, their luck ran out, and they were caught by the Jeedimetla police.

The arrested were identified as Afroz Ahmed (24) of Karnataka, Mohammed Ibrahim (31) of Zaheerabad, a DCM driver Shaik Anwar (35) of Medchal, and Balla Ram Satyanarayana (47). Another person, Syed Mustafa, is absconding.

According to the police, Afroz and Mustafa, natives of Gulbarga, were habitual offenders who eyed big vehicles as they netted them big money. Previously, they stole a road roller in Dulapally, Petbasheerabad, and sold it on scrap in Jalna, Maharashtra.

On Monday night, Afroz, Mustafa and Shaik Anwar allegedly went around Balanagar scouting for a big vehicle. At the industrial park, they noticed a road roller parked near a timber depot and decided to steal it.

They called in Satyanarayana, a crane supplier, for two cranes, which were promptly rushed to the spot. Using the cranes, they lifted the road roller and placed it on a DCM vehicle belonging to Anwar, said DCP Jeedimetla, K Suresh Kumar. After stealing the road roller, they headed to Maharashtra, where they planned to dismantle it and sell it to a scrap yard.

However, the driver of the road roller, who came to the place where he had parked the vehicle, realised it was missing and approached the police. A team of investigators, after analysing footage from nearly 64 surveillance cameras, narrowed down the escape route taken by the gang and caught them in Jeedimetla police jurisdiction.