A five-member chain-snatching gang was arrested and sent for remand by the Fourth Town Police on Saturday.
Giving details to the media, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crimes) S. Varada Raju said that main accused B. Chandrasekhar Rao (27), a minivan driver, and his accomplices B. Raju (24) and P. Kanaka Raju (20), auto drivers, K. Gopi (25), a lorry driver and K. Papa Rao (26), a car driver, were all residents of Bapuji Nagar, Kailasapuram.
They snatched the gold chain of an old woman in November 2012 for easy money. They found it was an easy way to make a quick buck and avoid detection by the police and continued with more chain snatchings. Women going alone were their soft target. In all, they stole 30 tolas of gold ornaments including chains, gold black bead chains and mangala sutrams.
Kanaka Raju was caught by passers by while he was trying to snatch a gold chain from an old woman at Akkayyapalem. He was handed over to a Blue Colt police and Home Guard, who were available in the area.
Based on his confession the other four accused were arrested. The accused had indulged in chain snatching at Narasimha Nagar, Balayya Sastry Layout, Akkayyapalem, Murali Nagar and other areas in city
Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) D.N. Mahesh was present.
In all, 17 tolas of gold ornaments were recovered while the remaining ornaments were disposed of by the accused. Two motorcycles used in the crimes were also recovered from them, Fourth Town Inspector S. Appala Naidu said.
