Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly stealing jewellery and other valuable items from passengers aboard various flights across the country, officials said. Once a thief on trains, the accused, identified as Rajesh Kapoor, moved on to flights. He allegedly stole jewellery and other valuables from handbags of fellow passengers during at least 200 flights over the past year, spanning more than 110 days.
Kapoor has been committing such thefts since 2005, police said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Usha Rangnani disclosed during a press conference that Kapoor was arrested from Paharganj, where he allegedly stashed the stolen jewellery.
Additionally, Delhi Police also arrested the receiver of these jewellery. “He (Kapoor) was planning to sell them to one Sharad Jain, 46, who has also been arrested from Karol Bagh,” Usha Rangnani said.
The police crackdown came after two complaints of theft were reported on different flights over the past three months. In response, a specialised team was formed by the IGI Airport authorities to arrest the accused.
One such incident occurred on April 11, when a passenger reported the loss of jewellery valued at Rs 7 lakh during a flight from Hyderabad to Delhi. Another theft was reported on February 2, wherein a passenger lost jewellery items worth Rs 20 lakh while traveling from Amritsar to Delhi.
Investigations led authorities to analyse CCTV footage from Delhi and Amritsar airports, as well as scrutinise flight manifests. A suspect was identified based on his presence on both flights where thefts occurred.
Subsequent efforts to trace the suspect via the phone number provided during booking failed, as Kapoor had provided fake information. However, through technical surveillance, his original phone number was traced, leading to his arrest.
Upon interrogation, Kapoor admitted to his involvement in five such cases, including one in Hyderabad.
He also disclosed that he spent most of the cash on online and offline gambling.
A police officer told news agency PTI that Kapoor would target vulnerable passengers, particularly elderly women travelling internationally.
“Recognising the tendency of such passengers to carry valuables in their handbags, he strategically travelled on premium domestic flights, notably Air India and Vistara, bound for destinations like Delhi, Chandigarh, and Hyderabad,” the officer said.
Exploiting their likelihood to carry valuables in handbags, Kapoor strategically chose premium domestic flights, notably Air India and Vistara, bound for destinations such as Delhi, Chandigarh, and Hyderabad.
During the chaos of boarding, Kapoor would discreetly rummage through overhead cabins, meticulously selecting and stealing valuables from unsuspecting victims’ handbags while passengers settled into their seats.
To further conceal his identity, Kapoor employed a deceptive tactic of booking tickets under his deceased brother’s name, thwarting both airlines and law enforcement agencies in their efforts to identify him.