A 20-year-old youth was chased down and caught by members of the public when he tried to flee after snatching a mobile phone from a woman techie in front of Gopalan Mall in Chamarajpet police limits on Thursday morning.
The police have arrested the suspect, Salman Pasha, a resident of Valimiki Nagar and a labourer. According to the police, the incident occurred when Kavyashree, a resident of Chamarajpet, was standing in front of the mall waiting for a cab.
She was holding the phone in her hand, when Pasha walked towards her, snatched it and fled the spot. Kavyashree started screaming for help when members of the public and a traffic constable noticed Pasha sprinting.
They chased him down and caught him with the phone. The traffic constable alerted the Chamarajpet police who arrested him, said the police. A senior police officer said that a gang of youth roamed around aimlessly trying to snatch mobile phones.
They sell it for a meagre price to buy adhesive solutions because they are addicted to inhaling the fumes from the glue. A team has been formed to nab youngsters indulging in such activities, he said.