Snatchers on the prowl in city, 6 arrested

The CMBT police arrested five persons, including a juvenile, and seized 12 mobile phones, a tablet computer and two motorbikes from them. V Suresh (19), S Vignesh (19) and R Bhagyaraj (20) of Nerkundram and S Vignesh (19) of Kattupakkam were remanded in judicial custody and the juvenile was sent to an observation home. 

The gang targeted lone pedestrians at Koyambedu, Maduravoyal and Arumbakkam and snatched their valuables, said police. They were involved in two snatching cases reported on June 11 in Koyambedu and Arumbakkam. P Perumal of Villupuram and a woman had lost their phones to the gang within a few minutes. Fifteen snatching incidents were reported in the city on the same day.

In another case, the Railway police on Saturday arrested a 22-year-old man for snatching a gold chain from a woman on a moving train. The incident happened on Wednesday, when the victim, Nagamalleswari (45) of MGR Nagar, was travelling along with her husband Harinath (50) on the Chennai-bound Sarcar Express from Vijayawada. While she was washing her face at the water sink near the door when the train was approaching Washermanpet station, the accused snatched her six-sovereign chain and jumped off. In the melee, she lost her balance and fell off the train, sustaining injuries. She was admitted to Stanley Government hospital. The railway police, who registered a case, arrested ‘Kulla’ Vinoth from Washermanpet and retrieved the gold chain. He has been remanded in judicial custody.

Snatching incidents seem to be continuing unabated despite police drive against petty criminals.

A pedestrian was robbed of two-sovereign gold chain near Valluvar Kottam on Saturday morning. Two men on bike diverted D Thamizhselvan’s attention by hitting him on the head. When he turned, they snatched his chain and fled the scene.