The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office on Sunday made public the suspects of eight cases of robbery of similar nature wherein the gold chains of women on their morning walk were snatched away. All the eight incidents took place in Kathmandu over the past two weeks.

The police report showed that looters had done a recce on women who could not walk fast during morning walks in areas such as Kapurdhara in Samakhusi, Jansewa Marga at New Road, Budha Chowk in Nagarjuna and near the Bishnumati bridge in Tokha.

“In most cases, the robbed women are over 45 years old,” said Superintendent of Police Rabindra Regmi at the Valley Crime Office. “The looters first surveyed the areas and later snatched the gold chain from their necks. They mostly used two-wheelers to snatch the jewellery and flee.”

Regmi added police had carried out special surveillance in those areas after receiving complaints from the public.

The police report showed that most of the robberies took place between 4:40 am and 5:50 am. For instance, at 4:40am on June 16, 46-year-old Rama Pandey’s gold chain was robbed at Kapurdhara in Kathmandu-6.

At 5:50 hours on June 28, 70-year old Mangalimaya Dongol’s gold chain weighing one tola was robbed from Tokha Municipality, ward-3.

According to the Crime Investigation Bureau, police have arrested Rabin Dhami, 32, of Ramechhap, Rabi Bishwakarma, 18, of Sunsari, Umesh Chhetri, 26, of Kavre, Rahul Majhi, 30, of Dhankuta, and an Indian citizen named Shrikant Maiti, 42, for their alleged involvement in the crimes.

Meanwhile, police have asked the public not to wear expensive jewellery such as gold chains and rings during their morning walk and religious ceremonies.

As the month of Shrawan is around the corner, police ask everyone to be extra cautious while visiting temples. During the month of Shrawan, which starts on Monday, temples are heavily crowded as women observe fast, visit temples and perform pujas. The month also marks the start of the festival season. Police say festivals could be yet another opportunity for thieves to rob women of ornaments while they go to worship at temples. In Shrawan, women throng Pashupatinath and other temples to worship.

“We request all mothers and sisters to avoid wearing ornaments while going to temples or during their morning walk as incidents of ornaments and other valuables being snatched are likely to rise,” said Senior Superintendent Dinesh Mainali, who is also the spokesperson for the Valley Crime Investigation Office.

Police have asked the people to immediately dial 100 if their ornament gets snatched.

According to police, the incidents of robbery also lead to killings and other violent incidents.

On April 20, Nira Pandey Acharya in Kapan, Kathmandu was stabbed to death at her shop by a man after she retaliated against the looter when he tried to snatch a gold chain from her neck.