Bhubaneswar, Jun 3 (IANS): An inter-state all-women robber gang was busted by the the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police on Friday and nine of its members arrested, officials said.

The nine women were arrested for allegedly stealing valuables from a shopping mall in Bhubaneswar, police said.

The women gang had stolen some expensive items worth over Rs 1 lakh from the shopping mall in Nayapalli area and its staff had filed a complaint with the Nayapalli police on June 1, Bhubaneswar ACP, Zone-5, Sanjeev Satpathy said.

"During investigation, we came to know that some women have engaged in the robbery case. Wearing sarees, they used innovative ways to steal the items," he said.

Following the incident, police had asked the shopping mall staff to inform the police, whenever such the suspects enter the mall, the ACP said, adding that the women again came to the mall on Thursday evening and were held when they are again trying to steal some items.

He said that 13 women from Hashipur village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal are there in the gang. All are relatives.

The gang members stay mostly in hotels and after stealing some items, they go back to their native place and sell those items there. Again, they go back to different cities to steal expensive items from shopping malls, the police official said.

"We have arrested 9 of them while the process is on to catch the other four women who left with all stolen items. If required, we will send a team to West Bengal to catch the other four members of the gang," the ACP said.

The police have seized products worth Rs 2 lakh from the hotel where the members were staying.