The accused in police custody on Wednesday.
A gang of five persons involved in a series of mobile phone snatching and thefts across the city was arrested by the Jeedimetla police on Wednesday. Stolen property worth ₹3.5 lakh, including two motorcycles and nine mobile phones, was recovered following a detailed investigation involving CCTV footage, technical surveillance, and suspect record verification.
The gang accused, identified Vaijayanth alias Varun, 19, Shiva, 21, Naresh Nayak, 23, Kumar and Venkat, regularly gathered in public spaces near Kukatpally, Vignanpuri Colony, and Jagadgirigutta. According to the Jeedimetla police, under the influence of alcohol and ganja, they roamed around areas like Jeedimetla, Madhapur, and Moosapet targeting people walking alone, especially women on mobile phones.
The breakthrough came after a 21-year-old woman, D. Akhila, lodged a complaint on July 27, stating that she was attacked while walking near a hotel in Shapur Nagar. Two men on a black motorcycle snatched her phone and injured her in the process. Based on her description and surveillance footage, police tracked the accused.
Investigation revealed that the gang members have a long history of criminal activity, including mobile snatching and vehicle thefts. Naresh alone has a at least 11 theft cases registered against him across Hyderabad and Cyberabad, while Shiva was earlier arrested in a rape case.
One of the recovered motorcycles was linked to a recent theft registered at KPHB police station. Further investigation is under way.
Published – July 30, 2025 11:04 PM is
