Man booked in 40 cases of chain-snatching held

The Delhi Police crime branch have arrested a 25-year-old man for chain snatching. 

Police said the accused, Vicky, a resident of Aman Vihar area, was earlier booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Criminal Act (MCOCA) and 40 other cases of chain snatching. They added that Vicky was among the top five snatchers in the Outer Delhi district.

In the wake of rising snatching cases in Outer and  North-West districts by motorcycle-borne men, a dedicated team of Northern Range of Crime Branch was tasked to develop information on such offenders and nab them. A study of their modus operandi was carried out and manual as well as electronic surveillance was mounted.

Police said on March 31, a tip-off was received that Vicky would come near B-Block in Bhagya Vihar to meet someone. A trap was laid and he was apprehended.

The police later found that his family members are involved in bootlegging business. He started selling illicit liquor in Aman Vihar but did not find it lucrative. Hence, he allegedly took to chain snatching. 

According to the police, Vicky is illiterate and married with two children. 

The police said the Crime Branch had arrested him for the first time in 2011 in a chain snatching case in North Rohini. After his release, he allegedly became very active in the crime. Police said Vicky spemt lavishly and often organised cocktail parties for his aides. He used stolen and borrowed motorcycles to commit the crimes and frequently changed vehicles to evade suspicion.