5 necklace snatching incidents in a day; Police nab TN-based gang in Kannur

Kannur: In a significant breakthrough, Kannur police arrested three women involved in a series of necklace thefts in public areas and on buses.

The arrested individuals, identified as Radha (44), Mahalakshmi (34), and Karuppaiya Amma (50), all hailing from Tamil Nadu, were apprehended by a police team led by Town Police Inspector Sreejith Koderi and Women's Station Sub-Inspector K.K. Reshma. 

The trio managed to steal necklaces at five different locations in a single day. They have been charged with three cases each in Taliparamba and Edakkad and three additional cases in the town police station. CCTV footage confirmed that the accused snatched necklaces while on buses, leading to their identification during an investigation conducted by the Kannur and Edakkad police.

Among the victims were Ayesha, Vamika, and Karthyayani, all of whom reported their gold necklaces being stolen within Kannur city. Ayesha lodged a complaint stating that while she was on a bus, two women pushed her from behind, allowing one of them to snatch the necklace weighing 16 grams from around her neck, before fleeing the scene. The police apprehended the suspects during a subsequent inspection in the city.

Main culprits in necklace robbery gang arrested

Despite hours of police interrogation, the three women refused to disclose their exact address or the reason for their presence in Kannur. However, further investigation by the police team led by Inspector Sreejith Koderi revealed that the women were part of a larger extortion gang operating across the state. According to police sources, a significant criminal network, including male accomplices, is involved.

The Kannur Town Police had received three complaints of necklace thefts and attempted thefts in crowded areas within the past week. The suspects were previously implicated in similar cases in 2021 and 2022 and were known to use different aliases at different times.

The gang typically arrives by train via Mangaluru and splits into smaller groups to carry out their crimes. They dress inconspicuously and target crowded areas, particularly buses, where they snatch necklaces. The women take the lead in these thefts, while the men monitor the situation from a distance. Once the stolen items are in hand, they are quickly passed to the men, who then disappear from the scene. By nightfall, the group regroups at a location, where they attempt to sell the stolen gold in the following days.