The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Spurt in chain snatching in western suburbs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Spurt in chain snatching in western suburbs

Staff Reporter

A 27-year-old woman is the latest victim

CHENNAI: A 27-year-old woman became the latest victim of chain-snatchers, in the western suburb, Avadi. The woman lost jewellery weighing nine sovereigns.

Police said the victim, Sumathi, proprietor of a bookshop, residing in JP Estates area, was returning home on Monday afternoon. When she was nearing her house, a youth, who under the pretext of asking for some address approached her and snatched the jewellery and escaped with another youth who was waiting in a two-wheeler a little distance away.

The Avadi police have registered a case and are investigating.

There has been a spurt in the number of chain snatching cases in the last one month in Avadi, Ambattur and surrounding areas. A total of 15 cases were reported in the last one month, while nine cases were registered with the Ambattur police, the Avadi police received six complaints and three cases were reported in Tirumullaivoyal police limits.

Two persons riding a motorcycle, wearing helmet, target the women walking alone on a deserted street or road. Most of the cases were committed between 1-30 p.m. and 2 p.m., said a police officer. The duo committing the offences were stated to be wearing helmet and if the victim offered any resistance they would not hesitate to attack them, said another officer.

Another officer stated that with the political party candidates visiting the lanes and by-lanes and increased police presence in the city could have forced the offenders to move to the suburbs.

Jewellery stolen

Some strangers entered a house in Villivakkam and took away jewellery weighing 10 sovereigns on Monday.

Police said the victim, Sairam, a resident of Mounasamy Matam Street, kept the doors in the ground floor open and slept in the terrace of his house. The open door facilitated the easy entry for the offenders, who took away the valuables, police said. However, the Villivakkam police have arrested one person in this regard and further investigation is on.

Bag with jewellery missing

The Koyambedu police have received a complaint on Monday from one Srinivasan of Mannargudi that a bag containing gold jewellery, weighing 18 sovereigns, was missing from a bus at the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus at Koyambedu.

According to the police, the victim came to the city to attend a marriage in Arumbakkam. After the function he along with his family members came to the bus terminus and boarded the bus with the luggage. After leaving the baggage Mr. Srinivasan alighted from the bus and waited outside. When he boarded the bus again he noticed that the bag containing the jewellery was missing.

Further investigation is on.

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