Snatcher targets elderly women in markets, nabbed by Faridabad police

GURUGRAM: He’d pick bylanes in markets, drive his two-wheeler into the crowd and come to a grinding halt next to an elderly woman.
He’d offer to help carry their bags and strike up a conversation, getting them to warm up to him by saying that they reminded him of his grandmother. As they engaged with him, he’d snatch their valuables — moatly handbags and jewellery — before fleeing.
Police say Shiv Kumar (30), who belongs to Ballabgah’s Chhainsa village, targeted around 100 elderly women.At least half of his targets were in Faridabad, and the others scattered across Delhi-NCR.
There were 22 FIRs registered against him in Faridabad, and possibly several more in the neighbouring cities, a police official told TOI on Thursday.
The crime branch of the Faridabad police got a tip-off about Kumar’s whereabouts on Wednesday, and soon after, arrested him from Sector 15 of the city. “The accused was clever. He targeted elderly women and tricked them into a conversation, saying that he was reminded of his grandmother after seeing them,” the official said.
According to the cops, Kumar was arrested two years ago in another theft case in Faridabad. He had been out on bail for the last year.
Police have recovered Kumar’s motorcycle and a scooter. “There are several cases registered against the accused. The accused will be taken into two days remand for a thorough investigation. We expect to recover the jewellery he had stolen,” the official said.