Kathmandu, September 9

Police have arrested two suspects, including an alleged buyer of stolen goods, on the charge of committing property crimes in the Kathmandu Valley.

A special team of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division nabbed Arjun Bahadur Shresta aka Bijay, 30, of Dolakha and Santosh Babar, 31, of Maharashtra, India, from Kilagal, yesterday.

SSP Sarbendra Khanal, MPCD in-charge, said Shrestha would break into unattended houses and make off with cash and gold ornaments.

On July 5, he broke into the house of Parvati Tamang in Tarkeshwor Municipality and made off with cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 599,308. Similarly, he decamped with gold ornaments worth Rs 71,000 from the house of Tara Gurung in the same locality.

SSP Khanal said he had also burgled at least a half dozen houses in Balaju, Swoyambhu and Koteshwor areas. The accused used to sell stolen gold ornaments to Babar.

Police have confiscated 10 tola gold, a digital camera, a hammer and scissors from them. Babar had bought gold from Shrestha and his gang members although he knew the items were stolen.

According to Chapter 4 of the Muluki Ain, purchasing stolen objects is as much a crime as stealing. Any person who knowingly accepts, keeps or purchases a stolen property is liable to a fine equal to the amount in question and may face up to three months in prison.

Police said Shrestha was a repeat criminal. He was arrested in a case of arms and ammunition in 2005 and released after serving one year in jail.

Similarly, he was held on the charge of burgling the house of Dr Chandra Bahadur Adhikari in Ichangunarayan in 2010.

In a separate operation, the MPCD has rounded up four persons on theft charge. The detainees are Jimmi Lama, 22, and Tuku Lama, 21, of Sindhupalchowk and Samir Shakya, 24, of Nuwakot.

They were active in raiding unattended houses in the daytime and making away with cash, gold ornaments and electronic goods. Police have recovered seven items of gold ornaments and Rs 12,030 from them.