Linen Lifter Busted: Train Thief’s ‘Honest’ Heist of Railway Bed Sheets and Pillows Ends in Arrest!
New Delhi – In an unusual case, a man who had been stealing from trains without ever touching passengers' belongings was finally caught due to his peculiar theft pattern. The thief, known for his unique "honesty" in not stealing passengers’ luggage, instead targeted a very specific type of item – railway linens. His method allowed him to evade capture for a long time, until a recent mistake led him straight into the hands of the Government Railway Police (GRP).
According to the Northeast Railway authorities, the man was arrested at Siddharth Nagar station after GRP and Railway Protection Force (RPF) officers became suspicious of his behavior. As Train No. 12571, the Anand Vihar Humsafar Express, pulled into the station and most passengers had disembarked, the officers noticed a man struggling to carry two large bags. The bags appeared unusually heavy, yet the man did not call for assistance from a porter. This unusual behavior triggered suspicion among the officers, who decided to stop him for questioning.
Caught Red-Handed with Railway Linens
Initially, the man ignored the officers’ calls to stop, but after being confronted more assertively, he became visibly nervous. He claimed to have lost his ticket while disembarking, raising further suspicion. When officers demanded that he open his bags, he resisted but eventually complied after persistent questioning. What they found inside left the officers stunned—50 bed sheets and 25 pillows, all belonging to the Indian Railways.
The Thief’s Peculiar Justification
During interrogation, the man revealed his unusual modus operandi. He explained that he deliberately avoided stealing passengers’ personal belongings, as such thefts were often reported, leading to filed FIRs and increased risk of arrest. Moreover, fencing stolen goods from passengers could be challenging. In contrast, stealing railway linens like bed sheets and pillows had a much lower risk of detection, and these items were easy to sell without arousing suspicion.
The thief confessed that he usually stole linens in smaller quantities to avoid detection, but this time greed got the better of him. He attempted to steal a larger haul, which ultimately led to his capture.
A Rare Case of Linen Theft
The man’s arrest highlights a rare form of theft that often flies under the radar. While passenger luggage thefts are typically reported and investigated, the theft of linens from trains is less likely to raise alarms. However, his over-ambition this time proved to be his downfall.
The GRP has registered a case, and further investigation is underway to determine if the man had accomplices or if he had been involved in similar thefts on other train routes.
