Two snatchers, arrested on Saturday for targeting a Brazilian woman in Greater Kailash last Wednesday, have reportedly told the police that they were part of a gang based in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh. Police said the duo told them that they used to strike in Delhi-NCR and return to Aligarh to evade arrest. Police also quoted them saying that each gang member was given a cut in the value of the snatched item.
Police had arrested Munawar Ali Khan, 20, and his friend Vijay Sharma, 22, both from Aligarh, for allegedly snatching 27-year-old Brazilian woman’s bag containing her mobile phone, money, credit cards, passport and some documents. The woman was targeted around 1pm on Wednesday when she was walking near M-block market in Greater Kailash 2.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Atul Thakur said with the arrest of these two men they have stumbled upon a snatching ring run from Aligarh. “Both the arrested men are from Aligarh. During interrogation Khan, who claimed to be the kingpin of the cartel, said that he runs a group of 6-7 men, all from Aligarh. Most of these men are with criminal backgrounds, out on bail. He said, they strike in Delhi NCR and then flee to Aligarh,” Thakur said.
The officer said these men used bikes stolen from outside Delhi, mostly in UP, so even if the number is known, it is difficult for the police to trace the owners.
{{/usCountry}}The officer said these men used bikes stolen from outside Delhi, mostly in UP, so even if the number is known, it is difficult for the police to trace the owners.
{{/usCountry}}Thakur said, Khan disclosed they tried to target a large number of people in a day and remain in Aligarh for a week to evade police radar. “They would get back to Aligarh the same day and not do anything. They would return after a week and strike again. He further told us that his men were paid money depending upon the loot. If the phones snatched were of value between ₹10,000 to ₹20,000, they got about ₹5,000. For costlier phones, the reward value went up to ₹8,000 to ₹10,000,” he said.
The DCP said the gang used to dispose of the snatched phones at local shops in Aligarh or on the outskirts. “For jewellery they had tied up with some local men who would get them a good price from some local jewellers,” Thakur said, adding that the efforts to track more members of the gang and the recipients of stolen items are being made.
Thakur said they have also apprehended a 19-year-old suspect in the CR Park snatching case in which a journalist suffered injuries on her face and hand when two-bike borne men dragged her out of an auto-rickshaw trying to snatch her phone. “We are trying to recover the snatched mobile phone. Efforts to track the other accused are also being made,” Thakur said.