Gurugram: Serial snatcher held after fleeing with mobile phone

Police arrested a suspected snatcher when he along with his accomplice collided with a street pole and fell off their motorcycle near Nirvana country in Sector-50 late on Thursday night. They were allegedly trying to flee after snatching a mobile phone.

Police said the accused identified himself as Tasleem alias Gopi, (21), a native of Guwaldah village in Alwar, Rajasthan. After the arrest, he confessed to his involvement in almost a dozen cases of snatching in Badshahpur, Sector-40 and Sector-50 in the last three months.

Police said the second suspect, who managed to escape from the spot after the accident, is Tasleem’s kin.

Police said the accused had allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a security guard and were trying to escape from the spot on their bike when local residents started chasing them due to which they panicked and met with the accident. Cops have also confiscated the bike used for their nefarious activities.

An FIR was filed alleging that the accused snatched victim Navdeep’s phone. Police said Tasleem’s associate, who managed to escape, had snatched the guard’s phone.

“On the night of January 10, both had looted a purse containing cash and a gold ring from a woman soon after she had come out of Spaze i-Tech park under Sector-50 police station limits. Tasleem has confessed to his involvement,” a Gurugram police officer said.

He said that Tasleem is a suspect in at least six snatching and loot cases. The accused was arrested earlier in a snatching case and had come out of jail after procuring bail in August. “However, he again got involved in the same activities,” he added.

Police alleged that Tasleem’s accomplice sold the stolen phones and other valuables in Faridabad and Alwar and he is expected to be nabbed soon.

Rahul Dev, the station house officer (SHO) of Sector-50 police station, said Tasleem is in one-day police remand and is being interrogated about his network and crimes that he allegedly committed after coming out of jail.