Two chain snatchers spook Bengaluru city

BENGALURU: The city police on Thursday woke up to a formidable challenge thrown by the two bike-borne muggers, who struck terror in the southern and western part of the city, by robbing 13 women of their gold chains – all in a matter of 24 hours.

While the city registered three chain snatching cases on Wednesday, 10 cases were registered on Thursday alone. The city police have increased the patrolling and launched a frantic search for the two muggers. The maximum number of chain snatching cases was reported from West division (five cases). The muggers drove fearlessly on their black Pulsar bike without even wearing helmets and robbed 10 women. They targeted women who were out on their morning walk or returning home from market.

Timeline:

Thursday
6.50 am: The duo approached a 60-year-old resident of BEML Layout, Sathyabama while she was walking back home and snatched away gold chain, weighing 45 grams, in Basaveshwaranagar police station limits.
7 am: Dakshayini, (80) a resident of KHB colony in Kamakshipalya was robbed of 80 grams of gold chain. The victim was putting rangoli in front of her house.
7.10 am: Few minutes later, the duo robbed 70 grams of gold chain from Jagadamba, 55, while she was returning from her morning walk.
7.30 am: The Chandra Layout police registered a case of chain snatching after the duo robbed 40 grams of gold chain from Indiramma (76), who was going for her morning walk in Kalyan Nagar.
8.15 am:  The duo snatched away gold chain, weighing 40 grams, from Shobha Rani (35), a resident of RC Extension in Vijayanagar police station limits. She was going for morning walk.
8.55 am: Girinagar police registered a case after a 60-year-old resident of Marappa Garden, was robbed of her gold chain, weighing 105 grams.
9.05 am: Vijayalakshmi, a 70-year-old resident of Subramanyapura, was robbed of her gold chain, weighing 40 grams, while she was walking back home.
9.30 am: The duo snatched gold chain from Triveni, (55), a home maker from Poorna Prajna layout in Uttarahalli, while she was returning from morning walk. Triveni showed presence of mind and held her chain and managed to save 20 grams of it. The duo sped away with remaining part of the chain, weighing 10 grams, in Subramanyapura police station limits.
10.30 am: The duo attacked Lalithamma (75) in Kengeri satellite town police station limits while she was returning from Raghavendra Mutt and made away with 50 grams of gold chain.
11.30 am: Sushma (50), a resident of RR Nagar, was robbed of her gold chain weighing 8 grams, while she was waiting for the vegetable vendor.

Wednesday
5.30 am: Vanagakshi, a 59-year-old resident of Vidyaranyapura, was robbed of her gold chain weighing 30 grams.
7. 35 am: A 75-year- old woman Uma Appaji, a resident of Indiranagar, was robbed of her gold chain weighing 30 grams.
9 pm: Yelahanka police have registered a case after a 33-year-old woman, Gayatri, a resident of Prakurti layout was robbed of her chain, weighing 65 grams.

Additional Commissioner of police (West) B.N.S. Reddy and Additional Commissioner of police (Traffic and Security) M. A. Saleem have appealed to the citizens by tweeting – “Some chain snatchers are active today in west and southern parts of city. Kindly inform police about suspicious two-wheeler riders.”

Police measures prove ineffective

Though the city police are keen on curbing chain snatching incidents by preparing new guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that are implemented as well, but the efforts hasn’t helped the police in actually averting such crimes.

As there was a rise in the chain snatching and robbery cases, the police started raiding houses of habitual offenders and took surety from them so that they would not involve in any criminal activities. Also, the police visited slums and spoke to habitual offenders and asked them to not involve in any crime.

Very recently, Additional Commissioner of Police (East) P. Harisekaran had asked pawn brokers not to receive any stolen gold jewellery. Despite all these measures there is no fall in chain snatching and robbery incidents in the city. A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said,  “We are trying hard to avert such incidents. Though, we know it can not be stopped completely, we have taken all precautionary steps,” the officer said.