Chain snatcher held in Malad
A 30-year-old man, employed as contract labour with Reliance Energy, was caught by Malad police on Friday, for allegedly stealing a 51-year-old woman’s gold chain.
A 30-year-old man, employed as contract labour with Reliance Energy, was caught by Malad police on Friday, for allegedly stealing a 51-year-old woman’s gold chain.
Police said the accused, Francis Sethia, had married two months ago, against the wishes of his parents, who had then asked him to leave their house. Sethia lived on the streets with his wife, and decided on chain snatching as a route to some quick money.
Police officials investigating the case said that on Friday afternoon, Sethia snatched a gold chain and mangalsutra from the woman as she was buying groceries. On realising her ornaments had been snatched, the victim raised an alarm, alerting two police beat marshals.
The beat marshals, identified as constables Ramchandra Patil and Ramesh Sawant, followed the man. “When the accused saw the policemen nearing him, he threw the chain into a gutter,” said a police officer involved with the investigation, on condition of anonymity.
“The accused was caught and made to search for the chain inside the gutter for over 45 minutes, but it was not found,” added the officer. “Investigations are on to see if he has other similar offences in his name,” said Sawant.