Tirupati Urban Police on Monday nabbed six chain-snatchers and recovered 548 gm of gold worth Rs.15.75 lakh and ten mobile phones from them.
A team led by Tirupati East CI P.S.V. Ramakishore intercepted a four-wheeler on the Renigunta Road and nabbed the four persons on board who tried to flee after seeing the police.
The accused have been identified as Bandi Adinarayana (45) from Tenali, Mekala Venkatesh (20) from Akiveedu (West Godavari) and driver Goalla Mohan (35) from Tenali.
They used to visit the crowded Tirupati Central Bus Station regularly to lay their hands on the gullible passengers and snatch cellphones when the passengers board a bus or jostling for seats.
The accused used to sell the stolen goods and share the proceeds, police said.
In a similar incident, police arrested K. Saikumar (20) from Bandla Street and K.Hari (21) from Mangalam, from Vishnu Nivasam pilgrims’ amenity complex opposite the railway station early on Monday and seized 211 gm gold and Rs.8, 000 in cash from them.
“The duo is involved in chain-snatching cases and petty crimes,” said Superintendent of Police Gopinath Jatti, who presented the accused before the media here. On Sunday, one offender, Shaik Allabakash (27) from Kadiri town, was arrested when he was found moving suspiciously at the bus station on Sunday. Shaik Allabakash, wanted in seven chain-snatching cases, used to target women passengers seating by the window in buses. Police recovered 337 gm of gold from his house.
The SP appreciated Deputy Superintendent of Police (Tirupati East Division) R. Ravishankar Reddy and his team for busting as many as 21 such cases.
The accused used to sell stolen goods and share proceeds, say police
