Police seek people’s participation to nab snatchers

The police department has instructed station housing officers (SHOs) to form city vigilance committees (CVC) without delay to get information about chain snatchers and other criminals. CVCs would consist of members of resident welfare associations, autorickshaw drivers, shopkeepers and students. They would share information with the respective police officers.
“Police personnel alone cannot cover the entire city limits. People should co-ordinate with us to share information about strangers roaming in their areas. So, I have instructed all the SHOs to form CVC in their respective police limits. We have a dedicated beat system and police personnel have been given particular areas to cover every day. The SHOs are instructed to display the beat police officers’ mobile numbers in public places,” police commissioner K Periaiah told TOI.

“We are booking chain snatchers under Section 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code. They get about 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. We have installed advanced CCTV cameras on traffic signals and checkposts. As a result, we can now collect a lot of footage about the suspects. Based on the footage, our police teams are working to crack snatching cases,” he said.

The senior officer requested people to contact the modern police control room or beat police officers immediately after crimes occur. “We receive information about chain snatchings at least 30 minutes after the incidents happen. By that time, the miscreants manage to escape,” he said.

“We have detained a youth, who is pursuing BE, on Sunday evening for involvement in chain snatching cases. The investigation is on. Now the modus operandi has changed. Those involved in burglaries are also involving in snatching. Recently, two youths from Tirunelveli were arrested by Tirunelveli police for burglary. They confessed that they had snatched chains in Coimbatore. Our special teams are working on various angles to check chain snatching incidents,” Periaiah added.