Chain-snatchings soar with gold prices

Chain-snatchings soar with gold prices

Thieves prefer chain-snatching to stealing phones, wallets due to higher returns

With gold prices touching Rs19,000 per 10grams, bullion traders aren't the only ones on a bull run. According to the railway police, pickpockets are increasingly switching to chain-snatching these days, with increasing complaints from railway commuters.

"Criminals who stole mobile phones or indulged in pickpocketing have switched to chain-snatching because of assured returns," said a police officer from the Dadar railway police station. He added that in 2009, gold chains worth Rs96 lakh were snatched on the city's local trains, as against Rs73 lakh worth of gold chains stolen in 2008.
Pickpocketing and mobile thefts are no longer considered lucrative for two main reasons — commuters have started carrying credit and debit cards instead of cash, and most mobile phones can be easily traced as the IMEI number of the handset. People have also started venturing into chain-snatching, with a peanut seller and a former bar girl being arrested recently.

The Thane railway police on April 9 had arrested Ashok Shinde, 20, along with his associate Swapnil Mahadik, 20, for snatching a four-tola gold chain and mobile phone from a college student at Diva station.First-time offender Shinde, a resident of Diva, took to snatching gold ornaments as it fetched him more than what he earned by hawking peanuts at Kalyan station. Shinde had noticed women commuters wearing gold chains and 'mangalsutras' during Diwali.

Inspector Shivaji Dhumal said that Shinde began travelling during non-peak hours when there were fewer commuters in the compartments. "He would keep a watch on commuters who were wearing gold chains and standing near the door, busy talking on their phones."

Police officers said many new offenders - the children of the women selling flowers in ladies compartments, burqa-clad women and drug addicts - have taken to chain-snatching. Inspector Kishore Pasalkar, railway crime branch, said, "A special team of 10 women constables has been formed. These constables will be disguised as commuters, wearing costly saris and heavy gold ornaments."