The Hindu : New Delhi News : Snatchers' gang busted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 10, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Snatchers' gang busted

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 9. A fortnight after arresting a snatcher who was an expert motorcycle rider, the South Delhi police have arrested another alleged snatcher who is not only an expert at riding but also insisted on meticulously drawing an escape plan before embarking on a chain-snatching spree.

His two alleged accomplices and a receiver of stolen property have also been arrested and stolen articles worth Rs. 3 lakhs recovered from them.

While working on snatchings cases by motorcycle riders over the past five months, the Special Staff of the South Delhi police zeroed-in on a couple of young suspects. Following a tip-off, a team led by Inspector Rajender Singh laid a trap at Pushp Vihar in South Delhi on Tuesday. Around 2-30 p.m., two suspects were arrested when they appeared on the scene on a motorcycle. The vehicle had been stolen from Malviya Nagar about three months ago. Those arrested were identified as Umesh Kumar (22) and Rinku Joshi (24).

At their instance, the police raided the rented accommodation of Samson Sachdeva alias "John Abraham" at Saket and arrested him. The fourth person to be arrested was Ved Prakash, a jewellery shop owner of Madangir.

The stolen cellular phones were sold to one Bittoo, a mobile phone shop owner. Other looted articles were disposed of to various people in Gaffar Market.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that they always conducted a survey of the area where they intended to strike. Apart from marking areas where they could find potential victims, they also marked the positioning of the police pickets and even the movement of patrol vehicles. In fact, Samson insisted on jotting everything down on paper before moving out.

Once in the market, they would commit two or three snatchings in quick succession and then disappear on their motorcycle.

They would then reach the forests of Saidullah Jab in Mehrauli and distribute the booty. The police have recovered nine stolen mobile phones, eight gold chains, stolen credit cards and driving licences -- worth Rs. 3 lakhs -- from them. They had also used the credit cards to make purchases from various outlets.

The police said Samson, son of a former Army officer, used to live in Mumbai and study in St. Xavier School along with his brother.

However, he left the School after his brother died under mysterious circumstances within the School premises. Later, he studied up to Class XII through National Open School but never attended regular school.

In Delhi, Samson learnt how to hack websites. He also claimed that he could tamper with the IMEI number, the unique identification number of a mobile phone handset, making it difficult to trace a stolen handset.

Umesh and Rinku, who were in catering business, used to snatch the handbags from women in busy places. When they came in contact with Samson, who was an expert motorcycle rider, they included him in the gang even though he had "no experience".

Later, however, Samson took control of the gang as he was quite meticulous in planning.

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