Serial snatchers spread panic in city, 1 arrested

The person was identified as Rakesh (21) of Moolakadai, who has a murder and robbery cases pending against him. Police said the he was accused of a murder in Triplicane when he was a juvenile and he recently was released from prison.

His accomplice ‘Anda’ Seenu of Ice House is also a history-sheeter with several assault cases pending against him. Rakesh had reportedly met and befriended him when they were in jail.

Both hatched a plan and stole a bike in Mylapore on Sunday. Then, they went about carrying out a series of snatchings - five in Mylapore police district, and then a few more in Adambakkam, MKB Nagar and Teynampet. Three women sustained injuries when the duo attempted to snatch the chains.

After CCTV footage retrieved from the localities showed that the same men were involved in all the incidents, a special team was formed under Kotturpuram Assistant Commissioner KN Sudarshan. What worked in the police’s favour was the pillion rider was not wearing a helmet. The police were able to identify Rakesh with the help of crime records.

At around 5.30 am on Tuesday, he was arrested near Indira Nagar MRTS railway station during a vehicle check. The stolen bike was seized from him. While Rakesh was remanded in judicial custody, police said that robbed jewels are with Anda Seenu and a hunt was launched for him.