RAWALPINDI, April 4: The police claimed to have traced a five member gang involved in murder, robbery and vehicle snatching incidents, and recovered cash, prize bonds and other valuables stolen during 21 strikes in different parts of the city.

District Police Officer (DPO) Rawalpindi Saud Aziz while speaking at a press conference on Wednesday said the crime rate had dropped considerably after these arrests.

He said the gang was traced after the police detained a man, Asif Ali, who revealed the names his accomplices during interrogation. They were identified as Saqlain Abbas, Shoaib, Kashif and Zahid Mehmood.

Mr Aziz said Zahid was computer literate while Asif was a close relative of a lawyer, who provided him legal aid whenever he was taken into custody.

All the gang members are aged between 18 to 20. Two of the robbers had started their criminal life by snatching cellphones and later switched to looting shops and houses.