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Tattoo-engraved kids gang active
By: Asif Chaudhry
LAHORE - Police at Jinnah Hospital checkpost Sunday arrested red-handed a 10-year-old kid, bearing tattoo on his right arm, and allegedly recovered nine cellphones from his possession, which the young ‘thief’ had stolen in just one day.
The minor identified as Shahzeb Ali, a resident of Green Town, was one of the members of the children gang comprising 12 other young ‘thieves’ aged between 10-14 years. The ‘gang’ operates in the emergencies of various teaching hospitals of the City. The ringleader of the children gang could not be traced, as the arrested boy had no information about the whereabouts or identification of the ringleader.
During interrogation, the police found a tattoo with SF XXX inscribed on the right arm of the boy with a sign of small circle bellow. This tattoo shows identity and seniority for the other members of the gang, police investigators said.
The philosophy of the ringleader to make tattoo on the arms was to determine seniority of the ‘minors’ in the field. He perhaps followed the police system where the officials were given seniority in recognition of their best field services by fixing stars on their shoulders.
He was recently ‘transferred’ from the Children Hospital, Lahore to the emergency department of the Jinnah Hospital against an ‘existing vacancy’ as another boy who was already operating in the said hospital (Jinnah Hospital) had been transferred to Shaikh Zayed Hospital by the ringleader.
According to revelations made by the arrested boy during interrogation, all the members (boys) of the young thieves’ gang were given assignment to target only those people who were upset due to state of health of their patient brought to hospital in a critical condition, and, such people were soft targets as compared to those visiting hospital in routine.
As for the ringleader, the boy told the police that he was above 35 years and used to collect the stolen mobiles from them outside the emergency departments of the hospital during surprise visits.
He further divulged to the police that the said tattoo was marked on his arm by his ringleader as recognition of his skills in stealing mobile phones. Another purpose to make tattoo on the arm was to mark his services as thief so perfect that he had never been arrested or caught by the targeted prey or the police in the past while stealing mobile phones, he further told the police.
The Nation:July 6, 2009
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