French Ambassador’s Phone Snatched in Chandni Chowk, Police Nab Thieves Amid Diwali Crowds

The thieves were caught by the police during the Diwali rush in Delhi's Chandni Chowk, where they stole the phone of the French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, while he was shopping with his wife. The incident occurred on October 20 near a Jain temple and caused a furore right away, forcing Delhi Police to treat the case as a priority since the victim was a high-profile one. After a thorough probe, police could arrest four suspects aged between 20 and 25, recovering the ambassador's mobile after a hectic 10-day search.

Theft Amid Diwali Crowds in Chandni Chowk

In this context, it wouldn't surprise if Chandni Chowk markets, almost at the eve of festival Diwali, are saturated with shoppers that can make a significant scope for much pickpocketing and small thieves. In fact, the Ambassador himself and his wife were ambling leisurely around colourful shops before falling victims to one of those when Mathou's phone was missing. Immediately, Mathou complained on the social network and French Embassy as well, thereby Indian authorities took note of the situation.

Police Investigations

Delhi Police began an investigation on the spot and viewed CCTV footage from different places in the market. They also sent a team to bring some suspects present there for interrogation. After viewing video evidence for days and after tracing the clues, they could narrow it down to four people who were behind this. They were all from the Trans-Yamuna area of Delhi. After catching them, they seized the stolen phone from their possession.

Information Regarding Arrest

The youngsters, between the ages of 20 and 25 years, in taking advantage of the overcrowded marketplace scenario saw the opportunity and benefited from it with regard to the crowding, by snatching the mobile away from the hand of Ambassador unnoticed. The Delhi police are grilling the caught youths, so it's being sought to check on whether or not they come under a certain gang which operates the during the season of fairs at these crowded marketplaces.

The Wider Mobile Snatching Syndicate Exposed

These recent cases also come in the wake of a larger crackdown on mobile theft in Delhi, as police discovered a syndicate that specialized in stealing the high-value remote radio units from mobile towers. The gang had managed to export the entire lot internationally, some reportedly sold in Hong Kong for over ₹100 crore. Till date, the police have arrested 52 people under this operation. It appears to be operating from Delhi, but overseas black markets provide it with connections.

Vigilance in Crowded Festive Markets

The theft demands more vigilance and heightened security in the markets, especially during the festival seasons when places get very busy. The swift action from the Delhi Police made it possible to recover the telephone of the French Ambassador, thus depicting how this city is working efficiently on all their cases involving high-profile crimes. On the other side, Delhi has heightened the activity on their part to stop the occurrence of such events and continue keeping both the locals and the tourists safe.

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