GPS tracking leads cops to arrest habitual offender

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested a 40-year-old proclaimed offender for allegedly cheating a woman of her gold ornaments and cash in northwest Delhi, officials said on Monday.

The arrest was made after the police tracked the movement of the accused's vehicle using a GPS device, they said. The accused, identified as Rahul, was arrested from the Model Town area . Police also recovered the car which was used in the commission of the crime.

According to the police, Rahul is a habitual criminal involved in nine cases, including robbery, snatching, theft, culpable homicide. He is also a proclaimed offender in seven different cases. "He committed such offences to earn easy money," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said in a statement.

The incident took place on January 18 when a 55-year-old woman was travelling from her residence to Uttam Nagar. While she was waiting at the Haiderpur bus stand, the occupants of a car offered her a lift, claiming to be bank officials. Once she boarded the vehicle, the accused persuaded her to hand over her gold ornaments and cash for "verification", stating they were also depositing their own money. The woman handed over two gold rings, two ear tops and Rs 5,000 in cash.

Shortly after, the accused asked her to alight quickly and handed her an envelope, claiming that bank officials had arrived.

Upon checking, the woman found the only papers in the envelop, while the accused fled with her belongings.

The woman later approached the police and lodged a complaint. Following the complaint, police analysed technical inputs and traced the car used in the crime.