Cops nab 5 snatchers, recovers 6 stolen mobile phones

The police said it was found during investigation that two of the accused had previously been booked in past cases

Mohali police have arrested five snatchers and recovered six stolen mobile phones and a scooter, used to commit the crime, from their possession.

The accused used to target women or cyclists talking over phone, the police said. (HT Photo)

The accused have been identified as Amit of Bar Majra, Gulshan Kumar and Uttam Gupta of Phase-1, Harinder and his brother Bhupinder of Behlolpur, Balongi.

Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Jayant Puri on Tuesday said: “The accused used to target women or cyclists talking over phone. They used to snatch their phones while riding the scooter and escape. The scooter has already been seized by the police.”

“Amit, Gulshan and Gupta used to snatch the phone and Harinder and Bhupinder used to sell them for ₹1,000 to labourers. The gang was active in Balongi and Phase-1,” the ASP added.

The police said it was found during investigation that two of the arrested accused had previously been booked in past cases.

“Amit was earlier booked in a criminal case and Bhupinder was booked in two drug cases in the past,” the ASP said, adding that all the accused were booked under Sections 304 (snatching) and 317(2) (dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property) of the BNS.