In Rajasthan's Churu, a criminal gang made away with ₹2.70 crore worth of valuables, including cash, gold, and silver.  However, after a high-tech intervention, the authorities successfully caught the culprits. What made this arrest possible? The answer lies in the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create images of the masked thieves.

How was the theft committed?

On November 30, a well-planned robbery was carried out at Chhaganlal Soni's jewelry shop in the Uttarada market. The masked thieves climbed onto the shop's roof from an empty plot behind it, broke the staircase door, and made their way inside. The CCTV cameras captured footage of the thieves and their surroundings, but it was difficult to identify the culprits. Thieves wore masks to hide their identity, they used gloves so that their fingerprints were not left behind, and even had a car with fake number plates.

How did AI help catch the thieves?

This case was cracked by police from Churu, led by Superintendent Jai Yadav. To find the accused, the police searched over 1,000 CCTV cameras in areas like Ratangarh, Rajaldesar, and Bidasar. However, it was finally AI that helped them get the accused.

Using AI, the police made images of the masked faces of the thieves and the car's fake number plate. Those AI-generated photos were then matched with more than 200 other images from other sources. That tech-savvy approach played a critical role in identifying the suspects.

Who were the suspects?

The police caught three people: Bhagirath Bawari, Ajay Singh Bawari, and Yadaram Bawari, all residents of Uttar Pradesh. They tried all means to cover their backtraces but the gang was caught. So, two suspects are out of their capture.

Superintendent Yadav informed that this was not the first crime committed by the gang. They had also stolen 4 kg of gold in West Bengal earlier, which reflects the crimes they have been committing across various states.