Hyderabad: Kanchanbagh police busted an organised interstate mobile snatching gang involved in theft, pickpocketing and mobile phone snatching cases across Hyderabad and surrounding areas.
Police arrested six accused persons during the investigation. The accused were identified as Ambata Naresh alias Kavati Naresh, Banala Arun Kumar alias Nani, Mekala Chiranjeevi alias Chiru, Thota Suri alias Suresh alias Surya, Thota Chandu and receiver Sandeep Jaiswal.
According to police, the case was registered after Syed Nazeer Ahmed complained that unidentified persons on a motorcycle snatched his Samsung Galaxy Z Fold-5 mobile phone near DMRL X Road under Kanchanbagh police station limits on April 15, 2026.
Police registered a case under Crime No.78/2026 and launched an investigation. Investigators examined CCTV footage, analysed suspect movements, gathered technical intelligence and conducted field enquiries before tracing the accused.
Mobile snatching gang targeted crowded public places
Police said the gang operated in crowded areas including bus stops, RTC bus stations, markets, tiffin centres and busy roads. The accused allegedly worked in groups and assigned separate roles to members.
Investigators said some members identified vulnerable targets while others monitored police movement. The snatchers allegedly removed mobile phones from shirt pockets and handbags by covering their faces with newspapers or shopping covers. Riders then helped the accused escape quickly from the scene.
Police said the gang mainly targeted costly smartphones including Samsung Fold series, iPhones, Vivo, Oppo, OnePlus and Redmi devices. The stolen phones were later sold for Rs.1,500 to Rs.2,000.
Investigators also found that the accused dismantled several stolen devices and sold spare parts to mobile repair shops and dealers.
Mobile snatching gang linked to multiple previous cases
During the investigation, police recovered 132 batteries, 172 mobile bodies without motherboards and 73 camera parts belonging to various brands including Vivo, Oppo, Samsung, Apple and Redmi.
Police also seized stolen mobile phones, including one iPhone, two OnePlus phones, four Vivo devices and three Samsung mobiles. One Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle allegedly used in the offences was also recovered.
Investigators said several accused had previous criminal records involving theft, snatching and other offences registered in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajendranagar Zone, appreciated the efforts of the Kanchanbagh police team for successfully detecting the organised gang.