Hyderabad Police Nabs Serial Chain Snatcher

Thirty-two-year-old Kumar was a resident of Madhura Nagar in Tirupati. He snatched a gold chain weighing two tulas from a 75-year-old woman while she was asleep in her home on April 17 in Begumpet. Two days later, he deceived an elderly woman under the guise of enquiring about a shop for rent and snatched gold ornaments weighing five tulas from her neck in Marredpally.

In Chikkadpally, the accused stole a two-wheeler parked outside an apartment in Vivek Nagar on April 16.

North Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Rashmi Perumal said that over 300 CCTVs footage from various locations were analyzed to track the accused. Sustained surveillance efforts with the deployment of multiple police teams helped in tracing the suspect.

She said that approximately 9.4 tulas of gold chains and a bike, all worth over Rs.8 lakh was recovered from the possession of the arrested person. Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, she said the former would target elderly women, selecting houses with open doors or using deceptive tactics like pretending to seek rental spaces.

Rashmi Perumal said the accused would take advantage of the victims who were alone and commit the crime and added that Kumar was a habitual offender with a history of over 14 cases involving theft, housebreaking, and narcotics spread across Hyderabad and multiple police stations in Tirupati. Financial stress caused by gambling and personal debts drove him to commit these crimes.

She said the Hyderabad police would continue to remain vigilant and proactive in its efforts to protect citizens, particularly vulnerable sections of society. She urged citizens to stay alert and immediately report any suspicious activity to their nearest police station.