Six of them were caught while conspiring to loot a petrol pump. The others were tracked down later and arrested. According to the police, the gang had 16 members most in their teens and '20s. Despite their youth, they gave law enforcement agents and the residents of Gurgaon and Delhi several sleepless nights in the past six months.

They reportedly looted liquor vends, opened fire inside 32nd Milestone, gunned down two persons in Sector-31, conducted a daring robbery at the GPO on New Year's eve, robbed Pasco Automobile, looted arms from Vikram gun house, looted a bank at Najafgarh and robbed a jewellery shop in Delhi.

The nucleus of this gang of sixteen -- 12 have been arrested so far -- was 25-year-old Yogesh, Mahesh, 20, Anil, 27, Jagbir, 23, Ajay, 22, and Rajesh, 27. The rest formed the supporting cast.

Senior police officials say they come from lower-middle class rural families who never got parental attention. ``For most of them it was the urge to make it big that got them into crime. This was a means for them to make a fast buck,'' says Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Yadav. The DSP continues: ``Today's generation is fed on cable TV and cola. Aspirations run high. Moral values have taken a back seat. Money is more important, no matter how you get it.'' The police say babyface Yogesh is the ring leader who belies his age. A 1995 graduate from Delhi University, he is the brain behind a series of robberies.

Lodged in the Gurgaon district prison on the charge of kidnapping and killing Ramesh Marwah, a close relative of former Delhi police commissioner Ved Marwah, Yogesh was released in December 1997. After his release, he allegedly murdered one of his old associates Kamal in May 1998. The police say Kamal had been a witness in the Marwah killing and ``had tried to turn the tables on Yogesh''.

Says a policeman: ``He had kidnapped Marwah to extort money on directions from Kamal. Kamal had lent Marwah some money which he wasn't able to return. Then Kamal tried to ditch Yogesh and was killed''.

It was in Gurgaon prison that Yogesh met Rajesh from Jharsa who got a jail term for attempted murder. Rajesh introduced him to his cousin Mahesh, nicknamed `Attack' and associates Anil and Jagbir. The gang started to build up from there with each man roping in more gang members. When they got out they stole cars, changed their registration plates, repainted and sold them. `Attack' was the reconnaissance man, while Rajesh, his cousin gave them shelter and found places for them to hide. After making a strike, they would usually leave for Himachal Pradesh and spend time in five-star hotels. A major share of their money was spent on luxuries like expensive liquor, Nike shoes, dining at the choice restaurants and holidaying at hill resorts.

After their arrest, some of them, say the police want to mend their ways. ``They have shown an inclination to leave these activities. We just hope that they carry on honestly,'' said an official.