Handkerchief-swap tricksters: Elderly women targeted; duo exposed using 500 CCTVs, nabbed

They changed multiple sets of clothes before and after the act to avoid identification through CCTV cameras: Police

Two men who allegedly tricked elderly women into handing over their jewellery using a fake “police-check” story were arrested by the Krishna Nagar police on Tuesday. The duo used a deceptive handkerchief-swap trick to steal ornaments and flee before victims realised they had been conned, said police.

The arrested accused along with police officials, in Lucknow, on Tuesday (HT Photo)

“The accused have been identified as Imran alias Munna (25), son of Jameel Ahmed, resident of Shahpur Bhamrauli Phatak under Dubagga police limits, and Kallu alias Raju (25), resident of Krishna Vihar. They were arrested from the Gangakheda railway underpass on Tuesday morning,” said DCP West Nipun Agarwal.

Police recovered a gold chain snatched during the latest incident and a scooter without a number plate, which was seized under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act for lacking documents.

According to the DCP, the accused would roam around neighbourhoods on a scooter under the guise of scrap dealers. After spotting elderly women walking alone, they would approach them and warn about “police checking” ahead, advising them to remove their jewellery for safety. The victims were told to wrap their ornaments in a handkerchief for protection. The duo would then cleverly swap it with another similar-looking handkerchief and flee with the real one.

“Around 50, failed and successful attempts were made by the duo, on women, over a period of three years,” said the ADCP. He added that there may be even more such incidents beyond Lucknow.

He added that the latest case was reported on November 9, when complainant Durgesh Pandey informed police that two men on a scooter duped his mother near Sector D, National Public School crossing, in Krishna Nagar and fled with her gold chain.

“An FIR was registered under Sections 303(2)/318(4) of the BNS, and four police teams were formed. Nearly 500 CCTV cameras were checked, leading to the suspects’ identification and arrest within two days,” said ACP Krishna Nagar Rajneesh Verma.

The ACP said Imran has 13 criminal cases against him, while Kallu has 19, including theft and robbery. Both had recently been released from jail.