Mumbai Crime: Chain-snatchers on a roll, almost 60 per cent increase in cases

Statistics suggest that chainsnatching incidents are occurring more frequently than they did prior to the pandemic From January to the end of July the city witnessed 131 chainsnatching incidents a figure that is almost 60 per cent higher than that of the corresponding period last year 82 In 2019 91 chainsnatching incidents were reported in the first seven monthsHowever the following year when the pandemic reared its ugly head and lockdown restrictions were imposed mdash ensuring minimal movement of people and vehicles on the roads the city saw 61 cases by the end of JulyPossible causesThe police have attributed this rise to the lifting of lockdown norms as well as the release of notorious chainsnatchers during the pandemic due to the decongestion of prisons Experts believe that lack of the stringent measures that the police had taken in the past has also contributed to the spate of chainsnatching incidentsAlso readMumbai Police check footage from 214 CCTV cameras to nab two chain snatchersIn the past the Mumbai and Thane police would charge infamous offenders under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act MCOCA and they would be imprisoned for a couple of years ldquoHowever as they are being released after two or three years and repeating their activities cases are risingrdquo said an official who requested anonymityThe practice of slapping chainsnatchers with MCOCA has reduced recently which has boosted their morale he added Drug consumption has also been a driving force according to the police While some indulge in chain snatching to feed their drug habit and lavish lifestyle some police officials claim that often chainsnatchers are inebriated when they carry out their crimesBe alertThe police have advised civilians not to venture out without taking the necessary precautions Most chainsnatching incidents tend to occur early in the morning when the roads are empty enabling snatchers to speed away on their bikes Early walkers have been advised to ditch heavy jewellery or at least conceal itDetection rate upOf the 131 cases registered by the end of July the police managed to crack 97 registering a detection rate of 74 per cent mdash the highest in past five years The detection rate was the lowest in 2018 when only 39 of 74 cases registered in the first seven months of the year were solvedStreetsmart snatchersAfter being busted time and again chainsnatchers have learnt from their mistakes While on a spree both the rider and the pillion always ensure they wear helmets and masks making it difficult for the police to identify them Their vehicles are mostly stolen or they change their number plates before committing crimes They also wear jackets to make it difficult for the police to identify them by their posturePreviously chainsnatchers used to work alone but now they have started taking the help of petty criminals who are familiar with the lay of the land and nakabandi spots It is difficult to identify a particular chainsnatcher unless he is caught redhanded however even after identification there is no guarantee that the police will be able to nab him an official admittedOther complicationsAccording to an official most chainsnatchers reside in the Irani Basti Shanti Nagar and Pirani Pada areas of Ambivli However it is difficult to nab them in their own backyard The police face the constant threat of being attacked by the women making it a task to conduct raids there without informing the local police However there is no guarantee that after alerting the local police the suspect will stick around by the time the police team arrives added the official Besides many chainsnatchers reside in hilly areas of Titwala and hardly return homeChainsnatchers tend to stay in one area and operate in others Hence they avoid the scanner of the local police A combing operation is one solution but it requires hundreds of police personnel to cordon off an area before a raid so that no one can escape Chainsnatchers also operate very professionally handing over their booty mostly to their wives who then sell it to jewellers97The number of cases cracked in first seven months of 2022