Snatcher gangs prowl on bank clients in Motijheel

Wearing jackets like the Detective Branch of police with walkie-talkies and firearms, they prowl the commercial area of Motijheel.

Anyone can be fooled by their appearance, believing they are a team of the Detective Branch. But they are active members of a gang who snatch money from people, especially clients of different banks.

The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested four members of a gang in connection with the snatching Tk91 lakh from a businessman. After interrogating them, police obtained interesting information on their criminal activities.

On October 11, the group snatched money from Abdul Hannan, a businessman and owner of Panorama Apparels and Hometax, from the Motijheel area.

The gang picked him up in a car from the Motijheel police outpost area and snatched his money. Later, the victim filed a case with the Paltan Police Station. The case was investigated by Motijheel zonal team of the Detective Branch.

The arrestees are Khalil, Zakir, Jewel and Mridha. The detectives also seized a Toyota super Gl car from them.

Josim Uddin, additional deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch, said, "Several gangs are active in the bank area of Motijheel. There are at least 30 members and 12 informers in those gangs.

"The informers collect information about clients who came to a bank in Motijheel to collect money. Another group waits beside the bank and follows the person. The culprits then pick up the victim in their car from a suitable place and snatch the money."

He continued, "At least 15 members of the gang participated in the snatching of the Tk91 lakh from Abdul Hannan. We arrested four among them and they confessed their involvement with the crime. We are trying to arrest the others."

Sources from the Detective Branch said the informer group works for the gang and each informer gets Tk500 per day. Besides, they get a percentage from the snatched money.