Andhra Pradesh: Repeat offender caught in chain-snatching case
Visakhapatnam: The Srikakulam police have apprehended a repeat offender linked to a chain-snatching incident that took place earlier this month. The arrest details were disclosed by Srikakulam sub-division DSP CH Vivekananda during a press conference on Sunday. The suspect, identified as Bhimarsetty Kamalanath (37), was caught near a local temple.
According to the DSP, Vaddi Sujatha (39), a resident of Srikakulam Town, was heading to Arasavalli when the incident occurred. As she approached Arasavalli Road, a man on a motorcycle, dressed in a black helmet and a cement-colored jacket, snatched her gold chain and fled the scene. Sujatha promptly filed a complaint.
The authorities tracked down Kamalanath, who resides in Subhas Nagar, Visakhapatnam, and has a criminal background. He had been released from Visakhapatnam Central Jail on October 4, 2024, after serving 11 months for a similar crime. Just two days after his release, he committed another chain-snatching near Jaggampet Police Station.
Kamalanath typically uses motorcycles for these crimes and pawns the stolen jewellery to support his lifestyle. He is believed to be involved in approximately 30 cases across various police jurisdictions in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam districts.
During his arrest, police recovered significant evidence, including the motorcycle used in the crime and two mortgage receipts in Visakhapatnam where the stolen gold was pawned. Additionally, they seized 3½ tolas of gold chain, 1½ tolas of gold bars, a black bead chain, and a leather cord.