VADODARA, March 31: The City police has claimed to have nabbed a notorious chain snatcher, who confessed to stealing four vehicles and looting five women from different parts of the city in the recent past.Briefing local reporters here on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police J Mahapatra, however, admitted that there were at least three more gangs of chain snatchers in the city who were being zeroed in.Highlighting the work put in by Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) personnel, he said that 23-year old Shailesh Thakorbhai Thakkar, a resident of H No 42-B, Parivar Society, Waghodia road was nabbed by almost a fortnight long intelligent policing by a DCB team. A gold necklace and motorcycle (GJ-3-Q-2221) were recovered from him.On policing, Mahapatra said with increase in chain-snatching incidents in the recent past, a team of DCB personnel under the leadership of inspector R M Munshi and sub-inspector Ajay Gakhar was formed, who first studied the cases by talking to victims and then prepared a sketch of the criminal.Mahapatra said the accused was nabbed around 10 am on Wednesday from Fatehpura crossing. During interrogation, he admitted to stealing chains and vehicles. He is reported to have said that he stole vehicles and abandoned them after use, as he did not want to use his vehicle repeatedly.Mahapatra said, Thakkar was basically from Khambhat and was living with his mother, who worked as a commission agent. His father had died long ago and his brother was settled abroad. Thakkar left studies after matriculation and got into gambling, Mahapatra said.The police chief said measures like re-grouping of policemen and their respective patrolling had shown good results, as not a single property offence was reported in areas like Fatehgunj, where it was first introduced about three weeks ago. While Fatehgunj has been divided in four sectors for patrolling, Makarpura was split into five sectors considering its vast size. A team of eight constables have been deployed on patrol duty in each sector to keep vigil on suspected elements in the area.Stating that the recent two shoot-outs would be solved in about a month's time, he praised his force for an improvement in the law and order situation in the city.
