Man arrested for stealing phone from bus passenger

Chennai: The police on Tuesday arrested a 45-year-old man for stealing a high-end smart phone from a passenger on an MTC bus. The accused is a serial offender and works with a gang of four, said the police, adding that a special team is hunting for his associates who fled with the smart phone. Police sources said the victim, Ashwin of Adyar, a private firm employee, boarded the MTC bus (route No. 53) plying between Broadway and Poonamalee around 10 am.

When the bus was near Kathipara, the accused, Mohan, boarded the bus and stood close to the victim who was texting. “When the victim kept the phone in his pocket, the accused sneakily took it and passed it on to his accomplice who was travelling on the footboard. He, in turn, gave it to a duo on a two-wheeler who were riding along with the bus,” a police officer said. Ashwin soon realised that his phone was stolen and raised an alarm after which the fellow passengers in the bus nabbed the main accused, Mohan. But, his accomplices escaped, the police said.

The St Thomas Mount police, who took over investigations, found that Mohan has been involved in cellphone theft for the past 10 years. “He must have stolen at least 300 phones so far and works with the same modus operandi as in this case,” said a police officer. The police have formed special teams to nab the absconding accused. Only recently, the Koyambedu police busted a gang which involved in stealing mobile phones from passengers at Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus when they were busy trying to locate their bus.