4 held with 9 stolen bikes, 13 cell phones

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 16

Four persons involved in stealing motorbikes and snatching cell phones landed in police net today.

As many as 13 cell phones and nine stolen motorbikes were recovered from their possession.

Civil Lines SHO Robin Singh said the accused had been identified as Gurwinder Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Sukhpreet Singh, all residents of Bangi Deepa village.

Police officials said the accused were residing in houses situated close to each other.

Apart from stolen bikes and cell phones, dismantled material of a bike was also recovered from their possession.

Police officials said the accused had been targeting poor people to snatch cell phones and used to steal bikes from busy market places.

They said the accused had been collecting money to buy cheap drugs after selling parts of bikes.

They had been using the cell phones themselves.

A case under Sections 379 and 379-B of the IPC has been registered against the accused.

The recently amended Section 379-B of the IPC (snatching) has a provision to award an imprisonment from five to 10 years.

Policemen said the accused were drug addicts and Jaswinder was their kingpin, who was also facing charges under Section 506 of the IPC (criminal intimidation). Others are first time offenders.

The case has been registered at the Civil Lines police station. Police are further investigating the matter.