Shawdesh desk:

A gang of criminals is employing scrap collectors to loot flats in different parts of the capital.

The scrap collectors are getting themselves involved in the crime in return for a percentage of the value of the goods looted from flats in the city.

The gang is also renting out firearms to different criminals in the capital.

Although police have arrested some members of the racket, its other members continue to carry out the crime.

The scrap collectors move from door to door and collect discarded goods such as metal, plastic, and paper.

Gang members maintain links with some gold traders to sell their looted ornaments.

On September 12, the members of Kalabagan Police Station arrested four criminals for looting 72 bhories of gold ornaments and Tk 1 lakh from a flat in Kalabagan on August 20. Three firearms and 111 bullets were also recovered from them.

The arrestees are Mohammad Sohel, Mohammad Farhad, Mohammad Ilias and Anwarul Islam.

During interrogation in remand, they provided information about using scrap collectors and vegetable vendors in their crimes, said Sharif Mohammad Faruk, assistant commissioner (New Market Zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Of the people arrested, Ilias is a scrap collector, and Mohammad Sohel and Mohammad Farhad are members of the racket. Anwarul is a gold trader.

Ilias used to buy unused iron, plastic, papers, books, and other waste from door to door.

When he goes to buy scraps door to door, he collects information about flats and gives the information to the looters.

After that, the gang entered the flats by cutting grills and looted cash and valuables.

Ilias provided information about the flat on Dolphin Lane to the criminals who looted the ornaments and cash. Ilias got Tk 75,000 as a commission.

They confessed to committing 32 thefts by cutting grills in the capital.

Some members of the gang are at large, and police are trying to arrest them, said the police officer.