Five arrested for South Delhi robberies

The breakthrough in the Mehrauli robberies resulted after the police put together eyewitness accounts. In each of the incidents the unsuspecting victims were standing at bus stops, when four youths travelling in a white Maruti car offered a lift.

Once the car began moving, the youths would rob the victim at knife-point. The money robbed in the incidents ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, and most of the victims were from the lower middle-class.

At least 20 police teams were put on a round the clock vigil following the incidents and adverse reactions from agitated residents. Sanjay, Rajiv and Arjun 8212; once again travelling in the white Maruti car 8212; were spotted by one of the police teams around 8.30 p.m. yesterday.

They reportedly tried to escape when asked to stop. The police team, however, caught up with them near a red light. A search of the vehicle yielded two knives, and the youths reportedly confessed to their involvement in the Mehrauli robberies.

It was also found that the youths had stolen the Maruti car from Delhi Haat on June 6.Sanjay and Rajiv are Malviya Nagar residents, and Arjun Singh lives in Sector-12, R.K. Puram. While Arjun is a school dropout, the other two were attending classes at a coaching centre. The police are now looking for their absconding accomplice.

In the Madangir incident, Mugam and Vijay were arrested after the cyclist, Vipin Jha, 25, who works as a cook in went to a police post and complained that he had been just robbed of Rs 50 and his wrist watch near a red light.

They had barely left the spot when they were confronted by a head constable and a constable from the police post. The knives as well as the money and the wrist watch have been recovered.