MP gang ‘hires’ kids for thefts in city-ToI-22.3.12

Parents Train Children In The Art Of Stealing, Fleeing With Booty

Hyderabad: In a startling discovery, police found that organised gangs from Madhya Pradesh, whose activities till recently were restricted to Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi, are luring children into stealing, especially targeting women at function halls in the city. 
    Several days ago, a gang fled from Hyderabad after committing thefts at a few function halls in Bowenpally and Paradise. In February, the Cyberabad police had nabbed an eight-member gang, which includes six juveniles, and recovered 70 tolas of gold and 45 tolas of silver, worth Rs 20 lakhs from their possession. Investigation in these recent offences helped police unravel the murky world of organised gangs and ‘contract’ child offenders. 
    Police claim a child is hired by these gangs for a few months by paying their parents upwards of Rs two lakh. Recently, a Hyderabad police team visited Kadai village in Madhya Pradesh and to their shock found that parents of these child offenders not only train their wards in snatching offences, but also teach them the art of fleeing with the booty. 
    “The organised gangs hire these trained children, who are aged between seven and 15 years, for a few months. Initially, they (children) hawk balloons or toys near function halls in up market areas. These children recce the premises and gather information about functions to be held there. Once they choose a day, these children, smartly attired, are sent to the function. After stealing chains or bags from the bride/groom or their relatives, the children quietly slip out of the location,” Bowenpally (Detective) inspector K Sattaiah, who was part of the team which went to Kadai village, told TOI. 
    Each gang has about 50 members, mostly children, and they camp on the outskirts. These gangs were very active in Mumbai, Delhi and Pune, but now they have spread their tentacles to Hyderabad. They employ juveniles as they can go scot free. 
    “When police arrest these juveniles for their role in crimes, they are sent to juvenile homes. As per rules, juvenile homes hand over the children to their parents if they come to claim them. After sometime, the children are back to committing offences by playing into the hands of the organised gangs,” police said. 
    The Hyderabad police team also found that most families in Kadai, who give their children ‘on contract’ to handlers of the organised gangs, are well-off and own palatial bungalows. When police go to nab either the children or their handlers, the villagers gang up and chase away the men in khaki.