LAHORE: Police in the historic Masti Gate area have cracked down on a mobile pickpocketing and theft gang that had reportedly been active around Data Darbar and its surrounding neighbourhoods, recovering 11 stolen mobile phones and illegal weapons in the process.
Acting on a tip-off, police arrested two suspects identified as Hasnain and Tasawar, according to SP City Atif Amir. The pair are accused of targeting citizens’ pockets for cash and mobile phones before fleeing the scene — a common but disruptive form of street crime in the busy, tourist-heavy area around the shrine.
Officials said the suspects attempted to flee when police moved in during the raid but were apprehended before they could escape. Along with the recovered phones, police also seized illegal weapons from the duo. Cases have been registered against both men, and further investigation is underway.
Police say they expect further disclosures regarding additional thefts as the interrogation continues, suggesting the gang’s activities may extend beyond the cases currently on record.
