<![CDATA[A taxi driver, a mechanic and a plumber who were unhappy with their earnings, allegedly saw online videos of petty crime to learn how to snatch chains effectively. They had a successful run for two years and had a hand in as many as 19 cases in Bengaluru, the South division police who arrested them on Tuesday told, and recovered ₹18 lakh worth of gold jewellery from them. The main accused, Imran Pasha, 31, taxi driver, had borrowed a loan of Rs.1.5 lakh, but on realizing that he would not be able to repay it with his income alone, decided to supplement his earnings through petty thefts, according to the police. He then practiced with his friend Afzal Shariff, 34, who works as a plumber, and his brother-in-law Abdul Shafakhath, 22, car mechanic. According to the police, Pasha even took them to a dargah in Chikkamagaluru and made them promise not to reveal their plan to anybody. He purchased a used motorcycle, changed the registration number plate, and used it to target elderly women. The accused were very careful to limit the number of chains they snatched every week, to avoid coming under the police scanner according to the police . With the money they got from selling stolen gold chains, Pasha began constructing a house, while Shariff paid an advance for a residential plot in Ramanagaram, and Shafakhath purchased two used cars. Their families began questioning them on their sudden good fortune, but they gave them evasive answers,the police told. Their luck, however, ran out when the police, through local intelligence, identified the men and brought them in for questioning. The three reportedly confessed to the crime. A court remanded them in judicial custody.]]>
