Patna, Sept. 15: Authentic information on the suspected chain-snatchers whose sketches have been released can win you cash. For, the city police have decided to reward people providing accurate data on their whereabouts.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar told The Telegraph today that the cash reward would encourage people to pass on the information about the chain-snatchers to the police. The maximum reward amount would be Rs 5,000.

Kumar said: “The city police can give a maximum reward of Rs 5,000. We will give the amount to the people giving us authentic information.

Besides, the police are contemplating to give appreciation certificates to the people tipping-off the cops.

The SSP said: “With the sketches of the chain-snatchers released, we need information to arrest them. Anyone who can identify the sketches should come up to the police and share information about the culprit. If the information is authentic and can lead to the arrest of those involved, the person would be rewarded. The identity of the people giving us information would be kept a secret,” the senior officer said.

The police appear to be serious to nail the chain-snatchers. Besides newspapers, the posters of the suspects have been put up at different areas of the city. Cops in civil dress have been deployed in chain-snatching prone areas.

“A man in uniform can be identified easily by the chain-snatchers. But they would not be able to recognise the cops in civil dress. The police are trying hard to stop chain-snatching for once and for all. We hope our initiatives will have the effects,” the SSP said.

The officer said most of the chain-snatchers were bike-borne youths. The victims claimed in their statements that the thieves were mostly youths between 18 and 25 years. The also said the chain-snatchers use bikes of a particular make.

“Most of the chain-snatchers are youngsters. They use bikes for the operations. But this much is not enough, as the police want more definite information. Intensive patrolling is on at the different police station areas and the Quick Mobile service has been mobilised,” the officer said.

Like this year, there had been a sudden spurt in the number of chain-snatching incidents at areas like Buddha Colony, Shastrinagar, Patliputra, Kadamkuan and Jakkanpur in the months of June and July last year. As many as 10 incidents of chain-snatching were reported in those two months. The police had said youths were involved in the crimes.

This year also, the picture is the same. The same areas had been the worst-hit. Last year, two boys arrested for chain-snatching claimed that they indulged in the crime to impress their girlfriends with a gold chain. The police said the reason behind the snatchings this year could also be the same. “Most of the suspects are youths. They just want money to enjoy and have fun,” another police officer said.