Women chain snatchers are latest headache for Ernakulam cops

KOCHI: With the festival season progressing in all its vigour across the district, reports of chain-snatching by a nomadic woman gang have put Ernakulam rural police on their toes.

In an attempt to keep chain-snatchers at bay, Aluva East police recently released the photos of 28 women, who were allegedly involved in chain-snatching and pick-pocketing ahead of Shivaratri festival at Manappuram in Aluva.

According to police, the women are experts in chain-snatching and thievery in public places.

Those who arrived at Manappuram for the festival were welcomed by flex boards that read ‘Beware of these chain-snatchers’ with their photos.

Police said the move helped them prevent chain-snatching incidents in Manappuram this time.

Taking the success of this plan to heart, Ernakulam rural police are considering implementing it across the district.

Of the 28 thieves, majority of them have been released on bail or after serving their time.

Among these, the most notorious names are Devi and Durga from Tamil Nadu, who have been staying in Aluva for the past few years, Mari and Vellayamma of Tamil Nadu, who are the accused in a slew of pick-pocketing cases across the district, and Jnaneswary of Tamil Nadu, who is an accused in various robbery, chain-snatching and pick-pocketing cases across police stations.

“Most of them hail from Tamil Nadu. We collected details from various police stations across the district and released their photos. About 50 flex boards were placed across Aluva town ahead of Shivaratri. One of the members carries her one-year-old child with her during operations so as to avoid people doubting,” said a police official. According to him, Aluva East SHO V S Navas conceived the idea.

Modus operandi  

These women split into two or three-member groups before carrying out the robbery. Their modus operandi involves creating an ‘artificial rush’ in crowded areas to execute the plan.

One member stands in the way of the target, while the second member tactfully snatches the chain and passes it to the third member and they all disappear into the crowd and from the spot even before the victim realises what happened.

Their next ‘operation’ will be at a location far away from the previous target. They are well dressed and usually target elderly women and children.

‘Safety Pin’ project

The ‘Safety Pin’ project, launched by Ernakulam rural SP K Karthik, has evoked good response from the public. Police have distributed safety pins to people and instructed them to pin the chain and dress together so that any attempt to snatch the chain will alert the person.