Chain snatcher held after 2 months

Jaipur: City police Saturday arrested a wanted chain-snatching suspect who had been on the run for nearly two months after allegedly carrying out three chain-snatching incidents across Jaipur in a single day, police said Saturday.

Police identified the accused as Sanjay Singh, who was carrying a cash reward and was allegedly part of an organised chain-snatching gang operating in the city. Investigators said he and an accomplice struck at multiple locations on April 1, targeting victims in rapid succession before disappearing.

The arrest comes weeks after police nabbed his alleged associate, Pushpendrasingh Gurjar, and recovered stolen jewellery linked to the cases. However, Singh managed to evade arrest despite repeated raids at his village and other locations.

According to police, the accused frequently changed hideouts, kept his mobile phone switched off and relied on phone numbers belonging to others to avoid being tracked. Investigators eventually traced his movements through technical surveillance and spent two days following him before making the arrest.

The case that led investigators to the gang was registered on April 1 after a person reported that two motorcycle-borne men snatched his gold chain while he was returning to his vehicle outside a stationery shop in Jawahar Circle. Police later linked the suspects to two more chain-snatching incidents committed the same day at different locations in the city.

Police records show four chain-snatching cases registered against Singh. Investigators are examining whether he and his associates were involved in other similar offences reported in Jaipur and adjoining districts.