The gang used fake number plates during commission of crime. (Representational)
Three members of the "Lifafa gang" were arrested in the national capital for allegedly robbing commuters after offering to drop them off at very low fares, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Bablu (36), a resident of New Ashok Nagar, Laxman (40), a resident of Paharganj, and Sunil Kumar (32), a resident of Dallupura, they said.
They used fake number plates during commission of crime on Ring Road and national highways in Delhi.
The accused used to target commuters waiting for conveyance to reach their destinations. They assured them that they would take them to their destinations at low fares, police said.
During the journey, they used to take passengers in confidence and on the pretext of police checking, they managed to obtain their valuables in a lifafa (envelop) and later either exchanged the envelop or if the passengers denied, they robbed them of their belongings, a senior police officer said.
After robbing them, the accused used to drop the passengers on the way.
On Wednesday, police got a tip-off that a member of the Lifafa gang will visit Dhaula Kuan in a car to commit robbery around 11 am.
"Around 11.40 am, police spotted the car going toward Gurgaon. After seeing police, the accused opened the front and rear gates of both sides of the car and tried to flee the spot, but were caught," Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Devender Arya said.
One car, two loaded country-made pistols, one silver chain and three live cartridges were recovered from their possession, police said, adding 19 yellow envelopes and two fake number plates were also seized from the car, police said.
During interrogation, Bablu confessed to his involvement in several cases of robbery and cheating through envelopes in various parts of Delhi. He also said he used to keep a fake ID card with him to impersonate a police official to cheat the passengers, the DCP said.
One of their associates, Mahender, is still on the run and efforts are being made to catch him, police said.