Eight arrested for mobile snatching in Jamshedpur, 13 cell phones and two motorcycles recovered

Jamshedpur, May 9: The police have arrested eight persons for their alleged involvement in a series of mobile phone snatching incidents in the city. The arrests were made after a joint operation by the local police stations and the special task force, following a spate of complaints from the public about such crimes.

Those arrested include the owner of a mobile phone repair shop for allegedly tampering with the IMEI number of the stolen handsets. While making the arrests the police recovered 13 mobile phones and two motorcycles from the accused persons.

Revealing about the breakthrough, senior SP, Prabhat Kumar said that seven of the arrested persons would commit the act of mobile phone snatching in two gangs. He said as the number of mobile phone snatching incidents had suddenly gone up since a fortnight back, a special team had been set up under the leadership of City SP, K Vijay Shankar.

The special team had carried out an anti-crime checking drive across the steel city on Monday night during which two youths were nabbed along with a motorcycle at Ulyan in Kadma. Later during interrogation, the duo had spilled the beans about the rest of the gang members, leading the team to arrest one after another by Tuesday morning.

Those arrested were of 19 to 30 years of age groups and identified as Pratham Mukhi, Lakhan Singh, Saurabh Bagh, Manish Kumar, Nelson David, Akbar Ansari, Babul Kumar and Jaipreet Singh.

According to the police, the accused used to target pedestrians, bikers, and commuters who were using or carrying mobile phones in public places, such as parks, markets, and bus stops. They would come on two-wheelers, surround the victim, snatch the phone, and flee from the scene. They used to sell the stolen phones in the grey market or use them for personal purposes.

The police said that they had received several CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts that helped them identify and track down the suspects. They also found that the accused had a history of similar offenses and were involved in a larger gang of criminals who operate in the region.

They have booked them under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology (IT) Act.

The police have also appealed to the public to be cautious and alert while using mobile phones in public places and to avoid showing off their expensive gadgets or valuables. They have advised the citizens to report any suspicious activities or persons to the nearest police station or the emergency helpline.

The arrests have been welcomed by the public and the authorities as a timely and effective action against the rising menace of mobile phone snatching and thefts in the city. They have also urged the police to continue their efforts to maintain law and order and ensure the safety and security of the citizens.