LUCKNOW, March 18 -- Lucknow Police on Tuesday busted a mobile phone theft gang driven by substance abuse, operating across several parts of the city. Four accused were arrested, and stolen gadgets worth Rs.20 lakh were recovered. Police said the motive behind the thefts was their addiction to weed, alcohol, partying and urge to travel across India. The gang would steal the mobile phones from Lucknow and sell them in Nepal to avoid being tracked. After carrying out the thefts, the group would travel to Nepal both to dispose of the stolen phones and for vacations, they added. The four accused have been identified as Aman (23), Mohammad Zeeshan (26), Azmat Ali alias Montu (25) and Sameer alias Dabar (19), who were arrested near Yadav Chauraha following a tip-off. According to the police, the accused first met while lodged in jail and later planned a series of thefts targeting closed shops across at least five police station areas. After their release, they remained in contact and carried out coordinated break-ins. "They sold the stolen mobile phones in Nepal because devices can be easily tracked in India, making recovery difficult," said additional DCP North Rishabh Runwal during a press conference on Tuesday. The gang used cars and motorcycles for reconnaissance, broke shop shutters at night, and fled Lucknow immediately after the thefts to avoid detection. They regrouped outside the city and targeted shops with easily breakable shutters, the officer said. "The accused were allegedly addicted to weed and other substances and carried out thefts to fund both their addiction and travel. Their operations spanned areas including Madiyaon and other police station jurisdictions," police said. Police also recovered 41 mobile phones and two tablets....