Police have arrested 82 pickpockets and snatchers involved in stealing money and other valuables from people in public transport.

Those individuals–78 male and 4 female–were arrested red-handed by police deployed in civil dress between May 15 and June 15.

According to the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, the pickpockets used to steal valuables in an organised manner.

Two pickpockets used to enter a bus from various bus stops and make a group of around six. The group would then select people with valuables and inform each other in code words and then steal the items including money, mobiles, and jewellery, police said.

“We coordinated with public transport operators and deployed police in the vehicles in civil dress. The police officers would then keep tab on such activities and arrest the pickpockets,” Senior Superintendent of Police Uttam Raj Subedi, chief of the range, told the Post.

During the arrest, police confiscated around Rs600,000 in cash along with mobile phones and laptops.

“Some of the arrestees are new ones, but many of them are repeat offenders. Around 65 police personnel have been deployed regularly in the public transport to minimise such activities,” said Subedi.