Noida: Five members of a gang, including its suspected kingpin, were arrested on Friday for robbing multiple people on different occasions after offering them lifts in their car.The accused, Naseem Ali, Abhishek Kumar, Vivek, Kartik Thakur and Manoj Kumar, are all aged between 18 and 23 years, and are natives of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Officials said they initially came to Noida for jobs but later turned to crime after being dissatisfied with their earnings.According to police, the gang targeted people across the NCR, especially those waiting for a transport late at night. They offered lifts to unsuspecting commuters and threatened them with weapons once they were inside the car. They then forced the victims to transfer money through UPI or withdraw cash from ATMs.Police said several such robberies had been reported to them recently. In one complaint, a man alleged that five men in a white car abducted him near the Botanical Garden underpass on May 13, assaulted him and forced him to transfer nearly ₹1 lakh through Paytm and cash withdrawals. The accused also used his credit card to order a mobile phone worth ₹50,000, he said.Subsequently, a team from the Sector 39 police station intensified surveillance and began investigation. On Friday, the team got a tip-off and arrested the accused near Stellar Green Park.During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crimes. They also admitted that victims who resisted were beaten and later abandoned in deserted areas.Investigators said the accused were using the fake number plates to avoid identification after committing the crimes. Police recovered an Ertiga car, an illegal firearm, a knife and two fake number plates from the accused’s possession after their arrest.ACP Praveen Kumar Singh said some of the accused already have criminal records. The alleged gang leader, Naseem Ali, has multiple cases registered against him, including some under the Arms Act. Manoj Kumar also has cases registered against him under the NDPS Act and the Excise Act.Police are now investigating how many incidents the gang was involved in and whether more people are associated with the group. All five accused were produced before a court and later sent to jail.Police have advised people not to accept lifts from strangers, particularly during night hours.
