One of the most common thefts committed is snatching of cash bags when one comes out of banks after drawing cash. And in most of the cases, the offence is committed after the victim’s attention is diverted. In police parlance these gangs are called ‘attention diversion gangs’. Their modus operandi is simple: Just divert the attention by dropping a few currency notes or by sprinkling some thing on the victim’s shirt and then make good with the cash bag or gold ornaments.
Since January this year three such cases were reported, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Varada Raju.
Of late, the scene of offence has shifted to hospitals. In last one week there were two such cases in two private hospitals. The offenders posed as doctors or hospital staff and targeted sick persons who were in no position to resist. “They first diverted the attention of the regular staff and security personnel and then robbed the patients of their belongings,” said the ADCP.
Doling out a few tips, Mr. Varada Raju said that the hospitals should immediately install CC cameras at all vulnerable points and instruct the security personnel to insist on ID cards from non-regular persons. “In general people who draw cash from banks should not allow their attention to be diverted on trivial issues and should directly proceed to the destination without stopping at any place,” he said.
***
The crime department of the city police of late has been facing a serious problem from inter-State gangs. Last month the police busted a 15-member gang from Tamil Nadu who specialised in robbing people in autorickshaws and in city buses and also arrested a five-member gang from Bhopal.
According to the ADCP, the Bhopal gang had unique way of robbing people. “They posed as relatives of brides or bridegrooms at marriage venues and gained access to the bride’s chamber and made good with gold ornaments. They committed about three offences at various marriage function halls,” said Mr. Varada Raju.
The problem with these gangs is that they commit the offence and then go off the radar for a few days. According to the ADCP, there are a number of gangs operating in the State from Tamil Nadu and Bihar. “A number of offences were committed by such gangs in Vijayawada city also,” he said.
The police have pasted about 200 posters at all marriage function halls in the city, to create awareness on these gangs.
