Rajesh Kapoor : Delhi Man’s Flight Theft Spree: 200 Flights, Lakhs in Stolen Jewellery

A 40-year-old man from Delhi, identified as Rajesh Kapoor, has been arrested by the Delhi Police for his involvement in a series of thefts on over 200 flights last year. Kapoor managed to steal jewellery and other valuables worth lakhs before being caught by the authorities.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI), Usha Ranganai, addressed the media during a press conference held at Delhi’s IGI airport, revealing that Kapoor was apprehended in the Paharganj area of the national capital, where he allegedly stashed his stolen goods.

Kapoor’s criminal activities came to light following two separate theft incidents within a span of three months. In one case, a female passenger travelling from Hyderabad to Delhi reported the theft of jewellery worth 7 lakhs from her handbag on April 11. Another victim, a man from the United States, claimed to have lost valuables worth Rs 20 lakhs from his cabin baggage, as reported by NDTV.

A dedicated team was formed to track down the culprit, with police meticulously reviewing CCTV footage from various locations, including the national capital, Amritsar airport, and flight manifests. Kapoor was eventually identified as the prime suspect, as he was observed on flights where theft incidents had occurred.

Modus Operandi of Kapoor

Kapoor strategically targeted passengers, particularly women and elderly individuals, on connecting flights across the country. He would shadow his chosen victims, studying information on their baggage declaration slips to identify those carrying valuable items in their hand luggage.

The officer disclosed that Kapoor preferred premium domestic flights, such as those operated by Air India and Vistara, bound for destinations like Chandigarh, Hyderabad, and Delhi. Once selecting a target, Kapoor would request a seat change to sit next to the passenger, subsequently pilfering valuables from their cabin bag while pretending to rearrange his own belongings in the overhead compartment.

Taking advantage of the chaos during the boarding process, Kapoor managed to execute his thefts discreetly. Following his arrest in Paharganj, where he operated a hotel, Kapoor confessed to selling the stolen jewellery to a jeweller named Sharad Jain in the neighbouring Karol Bagh area. Jain, aged 46, has also been taken into custody.

Over the course of a year, Kapoor changed flights more than 200 times and spent over 110 days travelling to commit thefts. After his arrest, Kapoor admitted to his involvement in five theft cases, including incidents in Hyderabad. He also confessed to squandering most of his ill-gotten gains through online and offline gambling.

To evade detection, Kapoor often booked tickets under his deceased brother’s name, concealing his true identity from both airlines and law enforcement agencies.

First Published: May 14, 2024 | 1:07 PM BST