After mobile thieves make away with teen's brand new phone, TN cops crack case, retrieve device in 24 hours

VIRUDHUNAGAR: Barely a week after his parents purchased him a smartphone for attending online classes, a 17-year-old boy from North Devadanam village in the district fell victim to a trio of mobile snatchers while he was on his way to school. However, luck was on his side as local cops were able to track down the offenders and retrieve the phone in just 24 hours. 

The boy, studying in Class 11 in South Street Hindu Nadar Higher Secondary School, Mugavoor, had been asking his father Esakki (40) - a mason by profession - and mother (a housewife) for a smartphone to attend online classes for over a year. After saving each penny for nearly a year, Esakki finally bought a smartphone worth Rs 26,000, on an EMI.

"We have not even paid the first installment of the EMI. He was on his way to school on his bicycle on Thursday when three persons waylaid him, grabbed his hands and snatched his phone. We immediately filed a complaint with the police," said Esakki.

Dhalavaipuram police zeroed in on the 'snatchers' within 24 hours of the incident. A team of police - Selvinrajan, Senthilkumar, Jeyaraman and Arunjunai Selvam - headed by Inspector Dheiveegapandian conducted an investigation in the locality, and obtained CCTV footage from a nearby camera. "A colour/design in the front portion of the bike and a broken indicator light at the rear side of the vehicle were the only discernible clues," said Jeyaraman.

Based on these clues a 17-year-old boy, one Ajith (20) and Vasantha Kumar (21)  were nabbed by the police. Police said they confessed to having stolen the mobile. The mobile was retrieved and the trio arrested. The four police personnel were appreciated by the district Superintendent of Police (SP) M Manohar for quickly solving the case and helping a boy in need.

However, the boy is yet to be reunited with his phone. "He has been worried about missing classes. We do not yet know if it will be a problem at the school," said Esakki. Police sources from the station said that the phone will be handed over after the court proceeding within a couple of days.

When contacted, SP Manohar assured that he would facilitate the return of the mobile to the boy at the earliest.