Three chain snatchers active around high-rises nabbed in Greater Noida

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Thursday arrested three men who allegedly snatched chains and valuables from passersby after a brief gunfight in Greater Noida. The gang was active around high-rises in Greater Noida West and targeted residents going out to drop their children to school or to run errands in nearby commercial complexes, said police.

Anil Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (Central Noida), said the gang used luxury bikes to commit the robberies so that they could speed away before being nabbed or recognised.

“The arrested suspects targeted high rise society residents during early morning and evening hours, when they stepped outside the society to run errands or collect their children from school. In Bisrakh area, in the past five months, they have committed eight such chain snatchings and two others under the Surajpur police station limits,” said Yadav.

“In order to hide their identity, the miscreants would wear a mask and a helmet, and used high speed bikes such as KTM,” said Yadav.

The suspects have been identified as Naushad, a resident of Gautam Budh Nagar, Sachin Kumar of Hapur, and Prabhat Kumar of Baghpat. While Naushad and Sachin were arrested on Wednesday evening, Prabhat was arrested on Thursday.

“Officials of the Bisrakh police station were conducting checks when two individuals approached them on a KTM bike. When they were flagged down by the police, the suspects tried to flee and when chased, fired at the police party. They were arrested after retaliatory firing by the police near the Bisrakh roundabout,” said Rajeev Dixit, additional deputy commissioner of police, Central Noida.

The next day, a third member of the gang was arrested from Hanuman Temple roundabout in Bisrakh area by the police following a similar gunfight. “The three suspects have sustained bullet injuries and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital. They are under police custody and will be arrested once discharged from the hospital,” said the ADCP.

DCP Yadav said the police recovered 10 gold chains from the suspects, along with a countrymade gun and live cartridges.“The two bikes used by the gang have also been taken into possession. The gang is led by Naushad, who has about two dozen criminal cases registered against him. More members of the gang are being traced and will be nabbed soon,” said the officer.