Itanagar, May 7: Police in Itanagar have arrested two persons in connection with a series of LPG cylinder thefts reported from different parts of the capital region, uncovering what investigators described as a broader theft-and-disposal network operating amid concerns over ongoing LPG shortages.
The accused have been identified as Yikar Taba and Lingko Tare.
According to police, the case surfaced after a complaint was filed regarding the theft of a domestic LPG cylinder from the verandah of a residence in the Jollang area of Itanagar.
During the investigation of Itanagar Police Station Case No. 121/2026 registered under Section 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police teams acted on local intelligence inputs, intercepted the accused and recovered the stolen cylinder linked to the case.
Investigators later found that the duo allegedly conducted reconnaissance in residential localities and specifically targeted houses where LPG cylinders were kept in verandahs or open spaces. Police said the accused would allegedly strike when the houses appeared unattended.
Officials further suspect that the accused took advantage of the prevailing LPG shortage and consumer panic by using local contacts and social media demand networks to quickly sell the stolen cylinders at lower prices.
So far, police have recovered 10 LPG cylinders from various receivers across Itanagar township. Authorities said efforts are continuing to identify additional victims, trace more stolen cylinders and establish the full chain involved in the theft and illegal distribution network.
Issuing a public advisory, police appealed to residents who may have unknowingly purchased LPG cylinders from the accused or other suspicious sources to voluntarily surrender them at Itanagar Police Station.
“Buying stolen property is not a bargain — it is a criminal act,” police said, warning that legal action would be initiated against anyone found in possession of stolen cylinders who failed to report them voluntarily.
Police also urged citizens not to purchase LPG cylinders or household goods from unknown persons offering unusually low prices and appealed to the public to immediately report any suspicious sale activity.
