Chain snatcher escapes, cops left with his jacket

While the Bandra police garnered accolades for cracking the murder case of a 58-year-old woman found dead at her Pali Naka flat within 12 hours, they were, however, left red-faced after a notorious chain snatcher gave them the slip in a hilarious fashion at Hill Road on the same day of the murder.

After receiving information on the wireless that a bike-borne chain snatcher had stolen a gold chain from a pedestrian and was making his way towards Hill Road, the officers from the detection branch laid a trap near Elco Market. After spotting the suspect who matched the description provided, two cops managed to halt him and held both his hands. But what transpired next was a scene taken right out of a Bollywood flick; the accused wriggled out of the jacket he was wearing, while the cops were holding him, and escaped on his bike.

All was not lost for the embarrassed cops, as they recovered the stolen chain and the accused's mobile phone from the jacket pocket. More, importantly, they have identified the accused after they found images of him stored on the mobile phone. Cops have now launched a manhunt to trace the slinky thief and are sure of nabbing him soon. The incident took place on Tuesday about the same time the woman was murdered inside her flat.

Snatch and run
According to police sources from Bandra police station, a 38-year-old woman was walking down the road when the 26-year-old chain snatcher wearing a brown jacket, riding a Pulsar bike targeted her and made away with her chain costing approximately Rs 45,000.

The woman immediately informed the local police and the detection officers from the Bandra police station were notified of the incident. They were informed that the accused would be passing through Elco Market traffic signal on Hill Road.

"Two cops nabbed the accused and, ironically, the accused managed to wriggle out of his jacket while still seated on his bike. After removing the jacket the accused managed to escape leaving the cops with only the jacket, " said an official from Bandra police station. ACP Shivaji Kolekar of Bandra Division confirmed the awkward incident. He said, "Yes, such an incident did take place. We have leads and will arrest the accused soon."