The Thirumangalam police have arrested a 29-year-old habitual chain-snatching accused from Maharashtra, who is involved in offences at Anna Nagar and the surrounding areas since December.
Following a series of complaints of chain snatching in Anna Nagar, Thirumangalam, Arumbakkam and Kilpauk, a special police team was constituted.
After scrutinising footage from 60 CCTVs, the police team zeroed in on the movement of a suspect, who was roaming on a bike with an Andhra Pradesh registration number plate. The police got inputs from their counterparts in four other States. He was identified by the Maharashtra and Telangana police.
Investigations disclosed that a two-wheeler used by the man for the offence had been stolen from Hyderabad.
As soon as he struck again on February 1, the police team intensified its search and nabbed the suspect, who was identified as Amol Balasaheb Shinde alias Amol of Parbhani in Maharashtra, during a routine vehicle check on Sunday. He was remanded in judicial custody. Investigation revealed that he was involved in chain snatching offences in other States too. His friends in prison had told him to strike in the areas where wealthy people lived, police said.