Hyderabad: As the police implement measures to curb the occurrence of chain snat-chings in the city, offenders move towards the outskirts. Cops say that through the installation of CCTV cameras and the invocation of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against repeat offenders, they have been able to bring down the number of cases of chain snatching reported in the city.
However, with the outskirts yet to be brought under CCTV surveillance, they present the ideal location for offenders to operate in.
A senior police official from the Hyderabad Commissionerate, on condition of anonymity, said that chain snatchings were rampant in the city until 2015. People remained in fear, especially during the evenings and nights, which was when the maximum number of cases were reported.
The city police were able to identify vulnerable are-as and increase patrolling in those areas. Additi-onally, CCTV cameras were also installed. “These measures and the anti-snatching teams working at the individual police station level have helped control the occurrence of chain snatchings. Many repeat offenders have been detained under the PD Act, and this has also brought about a considerable change,” he said.
These moves, however, seem to have prompted chain snatchers to begin targeting localities on the outskirts of the city. With the roads on the outskirts being comparatively free of traffic, it is easier for them to make an escape after committing the offence. An official said that CCTV cameras were yet to be installed in many areas in Rachakonda and Cyberabad, which posed an additional advantage to the chain snatchers.
“For the time being, we are improving visible policing and increasing the frequency of patrolling and blue colt vehicles in colonies that have been identified as vulnerable,” the official said.
2 women lose chains, same gang suspected
Chain snatchers struck at two places on Monday morning, stealing gold chains from two women in the Rachakonda police commissionerate area. The two incidents occurred within 20 minutes of each other, and about 3.5 km apart.
LB nagar DCP M. Venkateswar Rao said that the snatchers in bo-th incidents could be the same and five teams had been deputed to nab them.
In the first incident, Ms Radha, 52, was on her way to a nearby temple to offer pujas. She turned into a lane near the temple when she noticed two persons coming towards her on a motorcycle.
“Within seconds, they came close to me and the pillion rider pulled my chain and they sped away.” she said.
In the second incident, Ms Aruna, 50, a resident of Gayatrinagar, was collecting flowers outside her house. “Two persons on a motorcycle snatched my five-tola gold chain and sped away,” Ms Aruna said. Robbery cases were registered in both incidents.
Mr Venkateswar Rao said the suspects in both incidents could belong to the same gang. They were spotted in a few CCTV cameras in the surroundings, but could not be identified as their faces were covered.
“We suspect them to repeat offenders. We are analysing footage from other CCTV cameras and working on other clues. Five teams have started working to nab the duo,” Mr Venkatewar Rao said
