Con men in khaki strike twice, dupe two elderly women of jewellery in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, December 19

Miscreants struck twice in a day duping two elderly women of their gold jewellery while posing as policemen in separate incidents in Sectors 29 and 23. The police suspect it to be the handiwork of the same gang as a similar modus operandi has been adopted in both incidents.

Sector 23 resident Kanta Devi, 75, who had come to stay at her daughter’s house in Sector 29, in her complaint to the police stated she had gone to Sai Dham temple yesterday.

Targeted during temple visit

• Both women, aged 75 & 69, targeted during visit to temples
• Approached by suspects expressing concern over rising snatching incidents in city
• Asked to remove gold ornaments and put these away safely
• ‘Assisted’ by suspects posing as policemen in putting ornaments in bag/paper
• Victims realise they have been duped on returning home

On her way back, she was approached by a man saying as snatching and theft incidents were on the rise, she should keep her jewellery in a bag. The suspects pointed towards two policemen standing across the road, saying they would help her in putting the jewellery in her bag.

The victim walked up to the two suspects, who removed her gold ring and two gold bracelets and reportedly put these in her bag. On returning home, when the victim checked the bag, she found the jewellery missing.

A case of cheating has been registered at the Industrial Area police station.

In the second incident, the miscreants targeted a 69-year-old woman while she was returning from a temple in Sector 23. Complainant Santosh Kumari claimed while she was on her way to a temple, two suspects approached her saying police officers wanted to talk to her.

Two suspects posing as cops told her about rise in incidents of snatching and asked her to remove jewellery and wrap it in a piece of paper. The victim got tricked and removed her jewellery. She claimed the suspects swapped her jewellery and she learnt about it only on reaching home. The jewellery wrapped in the paper turned out to be artificial. A case has been registered at the Sector 17 police station. — TNS

Three cases in a month

This is the third such incident within a month. On Nov 24, four suspects posing as cops tricked a 70-year-old woman and made off with her gold jewellery in Sector 22. The suspects made her remove two rings and bangles and exchanged these with artificial ornaments after ‘threatening’ to fine her for wearing jewellery.

Mobile phone snatched

A motorcycle-borne miscreant allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a Hallo Majra resident. Complainant Vikrant claimed an unidentified biker sped away after snatching his mobile phone near the Poultry Farm Chowk. A case has been registered at the Sector 31 police station.