Three-member gang held in Aluva as bag theft cases rise in Kerala trains

Kottayam: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has warned passengers to remain vigilant following a spate of bag thefts on trains in the state. The alert comes after a three-member gang was caught at Aluva railway station recently for stealing a bag. Recently, three passengers at Kottayam railway station reported their bags missing.

According to RPF officials, the gang’s modus operandi is carrying bags identical in colour and size to those of long-distance passengers and placing them next to the originals. The decoy bags, stuffed with old clothes, are left behind as the real bags are whisked away amid the rush. The method was revealed during the interrogation of a Malayali theft gang arrested in Ernakulam earlier this week.