TIRUPATI: Chittoor Police in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday busted an interstate hi-tech gang involved in stealing computer parts and peripherals from various educational institutions by arresting five persons after a case was registered in the district.
Those arrested have been identified as K Murali (40), P Sekhar (39) of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu, P Venkata Siva Reddy (32), K Venkata Subba Reddy (32) and P Gopi (32) from Kadapa district.
The police recovered 1140 RAMs, 95 processors, five monitors, three CPUs, a four-wheeler and Rs 1.5 lakh cash from the accused.
Superintendent of police Y Rishanth Reddy said that the gang members targeted educational institutions, particularly engineering colleges, and stole computer parts and accessories.
The police arrested the gang members during a vehicular checking at Rangampeta cross in Puthalapattu mandal.
Upon checking their vehicles, the police seized 200 RAMs, which they were taking to Bengaluru to sell them in the black market.
Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, the SP said that the gang members used to break locks of computer labs in colleges during the night time and steal computers and hardware items.
Since 2010, the gang has committed offences in nearly 28 institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and sold the stolen items in the black market.
Based on their confession, the police have recovered 940 RAMs, 95 processors, five monitors, three CPUs and Rs 1 lakh cash from a computer peripherals seller, identified as Bharani of Vellore, for whom the gang sold majority of the stolen property.
The accused confessed to have stolen 221 RAMs, 221 processors in the CRR Engineering College in Eluru and sold them at Chennai’s Burma market and secured Rs 2 lakh.
