Hyderabad: Chain-snatchers struck five times in less than a fortnight in Kukatpally and its surroundings, posing a big challenge to the police.

While the first snatcher struck before Sankranti and targeted three women at three spots in less than 15 minutes, a snatcher duo looted two women in Kukatpally on Sunday. All the snatchings took place between 7.45 pm and 8 pm. Police sees a new trend in the timing.





While over 100 personnel had been deputed to hunt the snatchers, repeated incidents are posing a threat to people, especially women.

On January 10, a lone motorcycle rider snatched chains from three women at three different sites — KPHB IX phase, Vasanthnagar at KPHB and Miyapur — in a span of 15 minutes within a distance of 3 km. As much as 12 tolas of gold was looted in these three incidents.

Police after analysing pictures from CCTV cameras identified him as a chain snatcher who was involved in 18 cases during Dasara and Diwali in KPHB in the city. They had then announced a prize money of `1 lakh for clues about the snatcher.

Before police could recover from this, two cases were reported in Kukatpally on Sunday night within a distance of 2 km. The crimes were committed in less than 10 minutes. This time, there were two snatchers who targeted one woman returning from shopping and another walking home. The duo took away around 5 tolas of gold.

Police said that this was the time when streets were more secluded as patrolling had been increased during early morning and other hours of the day.