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Convicted in 40 cases, snatcher caught again in Panchkula
Devendra Singh, alias Vikki, 36, has been active in Panchkula, Chandigarh and Mohali for two decades and remained in jail from 2016 to 2020
A 36-year-old snatcher who has been active in the tricity for two decades and convicted in around 40 cases was nabbed for yet another crime, the Panchkula police said on Wednesday.
Identified as Devendra Singh, alias Vikki, he along with an accomplice had fled with a woman’s gold chain in Sector 16, Panchkula, on June 4. The duo was arrested from Dera Bassi, following a tip-off on Tuesday.
The aide has been identified as Sumit Kumar, alias Shagun, 24, of Karnal, who joined Vikki only recently, said police. They were produced in court on Wednesday, which sent them to two-day police remand.
“Vikki was active in the tricity between 2004 and 2016. He was arrested in at least 100 snatching cases, and found guilty in around 40 of them. He was in jail between 2016 and 2020, and once again became active on being released,” said inspector Aman Kumar, in-charge, crime branch, Panchkula police. The snatcher also carries a reward of ₹5,000 on him.
Modus operandi
Inspector Kumar said that Vikki used to roam around on a bike and target women who were wearing jewellery and walking alone. To evade cops, he used leave the city after each incident.
“He had rented rooms in Zirakpur and Panchkula. He belongs to Delhi and had a hideout in Noida too. After committing a snatching in the tricity, he would move to Delhi. After targeting someone there, he used to return to the tricity,” said the crime branch in-charge.
Recently, he was involved in some snatching incidents in Mohali as well, said police. No recoveries have been made yet, and police will be taking him to his house in Delhi on Thursday, where some seizures are expected.
