<p>The next time you go for an evening walk or visit a market, a 'policeman' accosts you, chides you for wearing gold ornaments and proffers advice on how to save yourself from chain snatchers just raise an alarm, for the ‘saviour’ could be a chain snatcher himself.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gangs involved in chain snatching have invented new tricks to fool people and claim to be police officials in civil dress out to save naive citizens from snatchers.<br /><br />Police have busted a few such gangs working in posh south and west Delhi.<br /><br />How they steal<br /><br />According to them, their modus operandi is interesting yet simple as they target women – alone and on foot– in upscale colonies wearing jewellery.<br /><br />"We have received several complaints. The gangs have been targeting women in posh colonies especially during mornings and evenings. They roam in these colonies in groups of twos and keep a lookout for such victims who walk alone," said a police officer.<br /><br />Fake policemen<br /><br />After zeroing on a victim, the men identify themselves as police officials and advise their victim not to wear precious ornaments when they venture outdoors alone citing a surge in the number of chain snatching cases.<br /><br />The gang members then hand over a handkerchief to the victim and ask her to remove her jewellery and keep it in the hanky with herself.<br /><br />And as soon as the victim removes her last piece of ornament, another ‘cop’ diverts her attention while the handkerchiefs are cleverly switched.<br /><br />The victim realises she has been conned only after reaching home. By that time, it is too late.<br />Forty-five-year-old Sunaina Gupta, a resident of south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, learnt it the hard way.<br />"I was out on a morning walk when I was approached by two men claiming to be Delhi Police officials. They scolded me for wearing a gold chain, earrings and rings, citing an increase in chain snatching cases," Gupta said.<br /><br />I put all my jewellery in a hanky given to me by them and the next thing I know is that I was conned, Gupta added. <br /><br />“I never realised when they switched the hankies," she added.According to police, these gangs hail from Mumbai and are notorious for their activities in several states.<br />IANS</p>
<p>The next time you go for an evening walk or visit a market, a 'policeman' accosts you, chides you for wearing gold ornaments and proffers advice on how to save yourself from chain snatchers just raise an alarm, for the ‘saviour’ could be a chain snatcher himself.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Gangs involved in chain snatching have invented new tricks to fool people and claim to be police officials in civil dress out to save naive citizens from snatchers.<br /><br />Police have busted a few such gangs working in posh south and west Delhi.<br /><br />How they steal<br /><br />According to them, their modus operandi is interesting yet simple as they target women – alone and on foot– in upscale colonies wearing jewellery.<br /><br />"We have received several complaints. The gangs have been targeting women in posh colonies especially during mornings and evenings. They roam in these colonies in groups of twos and keep a lookout for such victims who walk alone," said a police officer.<br /><br />Fake policemen<br /><br />After zeroing on a victim, the men identify themselves as police officials and advise their victim not to wear precious ornaments when they venture outdoors alone citing a surge in the number of chain snatching cases.<br /><br />The gang members then hand over a handkerchief to the victim and ask her to remove her jewellery and keep it in the hanky with herself.<br /><br />And as soon as the victim removes her last piece of ornament, another ‘cop’ diverts her attention while the handkerchiefs are cleverly switched.<br /><br />The victim realises she has been conned only after reaching home. By that time, it is too late.<br />Forty-five-year-old Sunaina Gupta, a resident of south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, learnt it the hard way.<br />"I was out on a morning walk when I was approached by two men claiming to be Delhi Police officials. They scolded me for wearing a gold chain, earrings and rings, citing an increase in chain snatching cases," Gupta said.<br /><br />I put all my jewellery in a hanky given to me by them and the next thing I know is that I was conned, Gupta added. <br /><br />“I never realised when they switched the hankies," she added.According to police, these gangs hail from Mumbai and are notorious for their activities in several states.<br />IANS</p>