Police arrest notorious chain snatcher, recover jewellery and car

Mangaluru: A notorious chain snatcher who was involved with several cases of chain snatching within Udupi and Mangaluru police stations limits has been arrested by the central crime branch (CCB) police. The jewellery stolen by him and a car used by him for chain snatching has also be seized by the CCB.

Based on the information to the police, that chain snatchers were sighted moving about in a Maruti Ritz car in the vicinity of Vamanjoor, the CCB chased the car and arrested the accused.

The arrested have been identified as Shakib alias Sabbu(25), resident of Katipalla, Suratkal. The accused has reportedly confessed to the police about his and his accomplices’ crime of snatching gold chains by using motor bikes and cars.

Crimes by the accused

On August 16, 2018, Shakib had entered the shop of Yashoda, a shopkeeper in Subhashnagara, Moodbidri in the guise of buying groundnuts and  snatched a gold chain from the neck of Yashoda. He also had allegedly snatched gold chain from the neck of Kariya, Iruvathur when Kariya was walking on the road on April 5, 2018. In another case, on July 15, 2018 when Alice Cutinho was walking by the side of the road at Pilar Khan, he had yanked off gold chain worn by her.

According to the police, the accused had forcibly taken away gold chain from the neck of Geetha Kini at Harjaddu, Kukkundoor village on August 29, 2018. Shakib is also accused of robbing gold chain from the neck of Gauri Nayak at Marigudi, Renjala on August 30, 2018.

Modus Operandi

The accused robbed gold chains from innocent senior ciizens and women by coming with his accomplices in his car and bikes. Five gold chains weighing 140 grams, one Karimani chain and two gold pendants, totally worth Rs 4,15,000 were recovered from his possession.

The Ritz car and two mobile phones, totally valued at Rs 6,60,000 used for the crimes have been seized by the CCB.

Shakib also has six cases including attempted murder registered in Surathkal police station against him, a case of robbery in Bajpe police station and bike theft case in Mangaluru north police station. The accused and the stolen items were handed over to Moodbidri police station for further action. A search for his accomplices is in progress

The operation was conducted under guidance from police commissioner T Suresh, deputy commissioner Uma Prashanth (crime and traffic). CCB unit inspector Shantaram, PSI Shamsunder and staff took part in the operation.