Hyderabad: Motorists, beware! Fake Good Samaritans on prowl!

Hyderabad: Forget chain-snatching, the youth going after easy money are now employing new ways of attention-diversion tactics while targeting unsuspecting motorists, mostly senior citizens.

Even as police officials acknowledge the increase in crime during the pandemic times, youngsters giving an impression of a good Samaritans on road, stop vehicles with an excuse and steal-away whatever they can lay hands on, while keeping the attention of motorists diverted.

In the recent incidents, which came to light in some parts of the City, involved a modus operandi where the offender after zeroing in on the target follows another biker and with the excuse that something like cable got stuck in the rear wheel triggers panic in the hearts. Convincing that he may help and pull-out whatever is struck, asks the rider to get off the vehicle. Unwary about the intentions, when the focus of the motorist turns towards the impending danger from 'rear wheel, the finger-smith noticing the target's distraction finishes off his work without being getting noticed.

"I was returning home from some work and suddenly I heard a voice saying, "Uncle there is something like cable or wire struck in the rims of your vehicle". Since I cannot see myself, he asked me to stop nearby so that he would help me pull-put whatever is struck. So I stopped and but he did nothing, but rather started giving directions like putting the bike on center stand. Even as I was doing so, he abruptly left the place citing everything was all right. Only after going some distance that I realized that my wallet was missing," said Md Tajuddin, a septuagenarian who remained in shock for at least 2-days.

Following the beginning of lockdown these kind of incidents have been reported in Tolichowki area, under Golconda police station limits. "A couple of months back another senior citizen was stopped with a similar excuse on Tolichowki flyover. The man lost his mobile in the incident. Even in that case, nothing was there in the rear wheel of the bike," said Raheem, running a mechanic shop on 7-tombs road.

When the issue was brought to the notice of Golconda police under whose jurisdiction the latest incident took place, the officials assured to examine the CCTV cameras after visiting the location and the patrol vehicles will be placed in the location as part of preventive steps. "We will be taking up the investigation and most likely the offender could be from nearby areas. Our focus will be on the detention of crime and its prevention in future," said DI, P Rajesh.