NEW DELHI: Two phone snatchers from Jharkhand were arrested in Nihal Vihar, where they had been stealing mobile phones to supply to cybercriminals in Jamtara.
The arrests were made after patrolling staff spotted two men acting suspiciously in the Nihal Vihar area. “When our team approached the duo for questioning, they tried to run. After a chase, we caught them and recovered button-activated knives,” said DCP (Outer) Sachin Sharma.
The accused were identified as Shiv Kumar (22) and Raj Kumar (28), both residents of Jharkhand. During questioning, they revealed that they would board trains from Jharkhand to Delhi, snatch phones, and return the same day. “On each trip, they stole up to 50 phones. These phones were then supplied to cybercriminals in Jamtara,” Sharma said.
Police recovered 20 stolen phones from their possession. The accused told the police that they would rent rooms during their brief stays in Delhi. “They made quick trips to avoid getting caught. They would target multiple victims within hours before returning to Jharkhand,” said SHO (Nihal Vihar) Shish Pal, who led the investigation team. The link to Jamtara cybercriminals has raised concerns about data theft.
“We are checking how many people’s data might have been stolen through these phones. Our cyber cell is working to trace where these phones ended up,” the DCP said.
Police said the accused perfected this method over several months. They would arrive in Delhi early in the morning, spend the day snatching phones in crowded areas, and leave by evening. This helped them avoid detection, as victims would often file complaints only after they had left the city.
Probe revealed that the phones were sold not only to cybercriminals but also to local buyers in Jharkhand. Police are now trying to recover more stolen phones and identify others involved in the network. A case has been registered at Nihal Vihar police station, and further investigation is underway.
