Police arrested a couple involved in a series of gold chain snatching incidents across Bhubaneswar, recovering eight stolen chains and two vehicles used in the crimes.
The Chandrasekharpur Police, under the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate, cracked the case after weeks of surveillance and CCTV analysis.
The accused, Rakesh Rout (35) and his wife, Swetalina Behera (27) of Natakei village in Cuttack district, operated a calculated snatching racket. Rout rented a Yamaha MT-15 motorcycle from a Baramunda bike rental service and concealed its number plate with cloth before committing the crimes. He changed his clothes after each snatching to mislead investigators.
Police discovered that Rout and his wife targeted women in areas including Chandrasekharpur, Nayapalli, Infocity, and Bharatpur. After snatching, Rout picked up his wife to divert suspicion during CCTV verification. She assisted in disposing of stolen ornaments, some of which were mortgaged at Punjab National Bank, Baramunda Branch.
Officers seized eight gold chains, a Swift Dzire car (OD07AG1947), and the Yamaha MT-15 bike (OD02DC0924). Another accused, Golekh Chandra Sathua (65) of Nischintakoili, was arrested for receiving stolen property.
The couple is linked to nine cases registered across Bhubaneswar and Cuttack police stations. Police described Rout as a habitual property offender who resumed criminal activities after briefly running a betel shop.
Commissionerate Police praised the Chandrasekharpur team for using human intelligence and technology to dismantle the snatching network.
