Teen's momo addiction turns criminal: UP's 14-year-old 'trades' family gold for street snack

A strange theft case from Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district has put a spotlight on how far a teenager allegedly went to satisfy a street-food craving. Police said a 14-year-old boy is accused of stealing jewellery worth lakhs from his own house and handing it to a momo vendor in exchange for food.

The minor, a resident of a village under the Rampur Karkhana police station limits, was reportedly addicted to momos and began quietly taking gold ornaments from home without the family noticing. Over time, multiple pieces of jewellery went missing, but the household remained unaware until a visit by a relative exposed the loss.

The matter came to light when the boy’s aunt arrived at her parental home to collect her jewellery. When the family opened the almirah, they found the ornaments missing. As questions followed, the family allegedly discovered that the boy had been stealing the items and giving them to a momo seller who runs a cart in Rampur town.

Shocked by the revelation, the family approached the police and filed a complaint.

A police official confirmed that an investigation is underway. “The matter has come to our notice. We are verifying the details and the accused will be taken into custody soon,” he said.

Police are now trying to trace the momo vendor and are assessing the total value of the stolen ornaments as part of the probe.