India, March 19 -- In a city where dug-up roads and construction machinery have become a routine sight, a gang allegedly exploited the chaos to run a lucrative copper cable theft racket right under the public's nose.

What appeared to be routine repair work near the Vasant Oscar building on LBS Road in Mulund West turned out to be a well-planned heist. Acting on a late-night tip-off, assistant police inspector Vijay Pawar of Mulund police station and his team uncovered a gang posing as workers of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) who were allegedly stealing underground copper cables.

Nine people have been arrested while four key accused managed to flee.

According to police, the gang's audacity was striking- the accused carried ou...