Barabanki, 15 February: A joint police team of SWAT/Surveillance of Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh and Safdarjung police station has arrested the five interstate thieves on Sunday from Rasouli underpass under the Electricity Act registered at Safdarjung police station, told police.
They have been identified as Irfan Ali alias Muzaffar son of Sarwar Ali resident of village Afzalpur Patti police station  Shahjahan Nagar in Rampur district, Wasim son of Shafiq resident of village Roorkee police station Baheri district Bareilly, Parvez son of Navi Ahmed resident of village Gulriha police station Baheri district Bareilly, Arif son of Mahmud resident of village Mahatosh police station Khajuria district Rampur, Asif son of Shabbir resident of Mohalla Naugawa police station Sungarhi district Pilibhit.
According to the police, the team has recovered 16 bundles of aluminium wire weighing approximately 5 quintals, 4 bundles of copper wire weighing approximately 1.09 quintals, 9 bundles of cable scrap (approximately 3.17 quintals), 4 sacks of copper wire scrap (approximately 1.05 quintals), 3 wire cutters, 1 spade, 1 small welding machine, 1 Ertiga car (UP 22 BT 3748), 1 Mahindra pickup (UP 22 AT 7621), 5 motorcycles, 20 plastic chairs, Rs 3200/- in cash.
The police further apprised that during interrogation, it was also revealed that the accused used to search the location of the power house through Google search and later, on the pretext of selling chairs, they used to go to that place on motorcycle and do recce and at night, after stealing the wire, they used to take it to a warehouse in Lucknow, peel the wire, load it in a pickup and sell it in the scrap market of Delhi.
As per the police, through grilling and investigation, it was revealed that these thieves are part of a gang that steals electrical wires from power stations. Their leader is Irfan Ali. The accused has rented a house in Lucknow and has also built a warehouse there. Police are attempting to arrest Noor Hasan, Javed, Wahid, and an unknown person, Sunil Kumar, a resident of Afzalpur Patti, Shahjahan Nagar police station, Rampur district.