Alert: Brazen chain snatchers continue to prowl city streets

Coimbatore: Outsmarting the city police that have formed special teams to nab them, chain snatchers are having a field day. A day after two snatching cases were reported from the city, two more incidents were reported on Friday.
The first victim, 62-year-old T Shanthamani of Krishnasamy Nagar at Ramanathapuram, was on her morning walk on Ramanathapuram Main Road when a motorcycle-borne miscreant snatched her 4.5-sovereign gold chain. Though she raised an alarm, the snatcher sped away on the two-wheeler.

Later in the day, a man snatched a chain from a woman near SNV Garden on Nanjundapuram Road. She was lucky as she was wearing an imitation jewellery, the woman told policemen. Though cops tried to give him a chase, the snatcher managed to escape.

Police commissioner K Periaiah said cops have been directed to conduct vehicle checks whenever chain snatching incidents are reported. “However, in most of the cases, the victims take at least 30 minutes to approach us. By that time, snatchers manage to escape from the area,” he told TOI.

“I have instructed all the beat police officers to display their numbers in public places. I request people to inform the police modern control room immediately after chain snatching incidents,” he said.

Police are also collecting CCTV footage to nab chain snatchers, the senior officer said. “Special teams are working to nab the snatchers. Police officers have been directed to focus on their respective areas between 5am and 8am to prevent such incidents,” he said.

The two men involved in Thursday’s snatching incidents were operating in Erode and Salem districts also, Periaiah said. “Most of the chain snatchers are new offenders and they come here from other districts. So, I have instructed the special teams to check for suspects staying in lodges on the outskirts of the city also,” he added.