Kolkata: Two persons have been arrested for allegedly snatching a cellphone outside a theatre hall near Hatibagan on Feb 5.
The police said accused Rajat Jaiswal and Ritesh Jha came on bikes or on foot and snatched expensive items. They had also robbed Rs 9,000 from the victims — those who had come out of the theatres and cinema halls nearby. The accused have been sent to police custody till Feb 26.
The police said the accused were involved in other crimes in the past, targeting local theatre-goers and those involved in trading at the gold shops nearby. The accused used to monitor the spots over a period of time before choosing where they would strike. “We used CCTV footage and leads from local sources to try and stitch together this case,” said an officer.
The cops said the accused, both Burtolla area residents, had dropped out of studies in order to earn quick money. “We have increased police presence in the area and have written to KMC for more illumination in certain bylanes between Burtolla and Hedua,” said an officer.