The recent arrest of a gang of women thieves by Sitabuldi police should raise alarm bells among city women, especially commuters at crowded spots or travelling in local buses. Such locations have seen a series of thefts over the last couple of months.
The gang of four women thieves nabbed on Saturday said they would target the fairer sex at crowded places and also commuters, especially those at bus stops and railway stations. Cops said that more than two or three such gangs are suspected to be operating in and around the city. Such a gang of women hailing from Nagpur was also arrested in Gondia on April 15.
The police said that the modus operandi of the gang was to encircle the targeted woman in congested places, and then steal valuables in the melee. Police said that if caught in such a situation, one should make sure your belongings are safe.
These women always pose as innocent bystanders, and even move with their children and kids along to reinforce that feeling, said Prakash Jadhav, senior police officer of Sitabuldi police station.
Of the five such cases registered with Sitabuldi police in the last one year, four have been solved. However, the number of such crimes was still rising, leaving the cops hassled.
The cops finally got a break when they arrested a gang of four with the help of an alert Pulgaon resident, Babynanda Mahajan, who was targeted by the gang on Saturday at Nagpur railway station.
Babynanda and her family had arrived at Nagpur and were heading towards an auto when she realized somebody's was trying to open her purse. The woman immediately caught hold of the hand and attracted the attention of nearby traffic cops. Though the suspects fled to some distance, they were nabbed by the cops and people chasing them. The suspect ladies were accompanied by small boys too, to mislead people.
One of the women was holding a two-year-old son. Those arrested included 50-year-old Lalita Londe, Anna Hatangde (42), Reena Mankar (28) and Usha Londe (43).
The cops complained that despite the arrests, they failed to recover any valuable or cash since it takes only a few seconds to pass the stolen cash or valuables to someone else. "Only when they are caught red-handed will the stolen material be recovered," said a cop.
On initial interrogation, the arrested women said they were from Butibori. However, it came to fore in court that they have similar offences registered against them with Gondia police, where they had given different address, said investigating officer Suhas Choudhary. The women must be residing in nearby rural areas and are taught to give fake addresses, the cops suspect. "One of the arrested women also had a pending arrest warrant at Ajni," cops said.
Apart from the city, these gangs are also operating in nearby rural areas. On April 15, Gondia's Rawanwadi police had arrested five ladies hailing from Kalamna Bazar in city, for allegedly snatching the mangalsutra of a female passenger on a bus. The stolen ornament was found in the luggage of the thieves.
The gang of four women thieves nabbed on Saturday said they would target the fairer sex at crowded places and also commuters, especially those at bus stops and railway stations. Cops said that more than two or three such gangs are suspected to be operating in and around the city. Such a gang of women hailing from Nagpur was also arrested in Gondia on April 15.
The police said that the modus operandi of the gang was to encircle the targeted woman in congested places, and then steal valuables in the melee. Police said that if caught in such a situation, one should make sure your belongings are safe.
These women always pose as innocent bystanders, and even move with their children and kids along to reinforce that feeling, said Prakash Jadhav, senior police officer of Sitabuldi police station.
Of the five such cases registered with Sitabuldi police in the last one year, four have been solved. However, the number of such crimes was still rising, leaving the cops hassled.
The cops finally got a break when they arrested a gang of four with the help of an alert Pulgaon resident, Babynanda Mahajan, who was targeted by the gang on Saturday at Nagpur railway station.
Babynanda and her family had arrived at Nagpur and were heading towards an auto when she realized somebody's was trying to open her purse. The woman immediately caught hold of the hand and attracted the attention of nearby traffic cops. Though the suspects fled to some distance, they were nabbed by the cops and people chasing them. The suspect ladies were accompanied by small boys too, to mislead people.
One of the women was holding a two-year-old son. Those arrested included 50-year-old Lalita Londe, Anna Hatangde (42), Reena Mankar (28) and Usha Londe (43).
The cops complained that despite the arrests, they failed to recover any valuable or cash since it takes only a few seconds to pass the stolen cash or valuables to someone else. "Only when they are caught red-handed will the stolen material be recovered," said a cop.
On initial interrogation, the arrested women said they were from Butibori. However, it came to fore in court that they have similar offences registered against them with Gondia police, where they had given different address, said investigating officer Suhas Choudhary. The women must be residing in nearby rural areas and are taught to give fake addresses, the cops suspect. "One of the arrested women also had a pending arrest warrant at Ajni," cops said.
Apart from the city, these gangs are also operating in nearby rural areas. On April 15, Gondia's Rawanwadi police had arrested five ladies hailing from Kalamna Bazar in city, for allegedly snatching the mangalsutra of a female passenger on a bus. The stolen ornament was found in the luggage of the thieves.
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