The Thiruvananthapuram Rural police on Sunday announced the arrests of four persons in connection with a series of chain-snatching offences reported from Varkala, Attingal, Chirayinkeezhu and Malayinkeezhu. While Saju, 37, of Kadakavoor, and Vinod, 28, of Anchuthengu, were nabbed by Rural SP K. Shefeen Ahamed’s Shadow team and the Varkala police, the other two – Vijayakanth alias Viji, 27, of Maranalloor, and Shiju Simon, 37, of Thirumala – were held by the Malayinkeezhu police.
According to the police, a team, including a woman, used to move around in a car and identify potential victims. They then passed on the information and location to other members, including Saju and Vinod, who used two-wheelers affixed with fake number plates. Some members of the gang posed as morning joggers and targeted women who visited temples early in the morning. .
Vijayakanth and Shiju, held for snatching the chain of Jayanti of Ambadi Nagar in Malayinkeezhu, were actually nabbed by the local people and handed over to the police.
— Special Correspondent
