Chain snatching: 25 Iranians in police net

The Manpada police on Thursday arrested 25 Iranian men suspected to be the members of a chain-snatching gang and seized valuables worth Rs 36 lakh from them. The police were conducting a search and combing operation after a spate of chain snatching incidents was reported from various parts of Kalyan,Dombivali and Ulhasnagar in the past few days.

According to the police,similar incidents were reported from Badlapur on Wednesday. The police said one Avinash Varman Bhoir (45) approached them on Wednesday after one of his relatives lost her mangalsutra and another woman was robbed of her diamond necklace on the same day. Acting on the complaints,police officers of the five police stations were deployed in the area. During the operation,the police got a tip-off that a few persons suspected to be the members of a robbers’ gang were staying at Irani Pada and Patil Nagar in Ambiwali.

Based on the information,the police arrested the 25 men for their alleged involvement in the incidents and seized gold chains and cash amounting to Rs 36 lakh from their possession. The police also found 41 motorcycles that were reportedly used by the suspects.

“We suspect that they were involved in many chain-snatching incidents,not only in Manpada in Kalyan but in Thane and Dombivali also,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Thane) Dattaray Karade.