Patna, Sept. 13: If chain-snatchers ever intercepted you within the past two years, try to recall their face. For, police would ask you to recollect their looks and help artists draw their sketches.

Taking the “sketchy” act a step further, the police have decided to make sketches of all the criminals involved in chain-snatching in the past two years. Besides, instructions have been passed on to the police stations of the city for intensive patrolling in the lanes and bylanes.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar today told The Telegraph that the station house officers of all the police stations in the city would first dig out the cases of chain-snatching lodged over the past two years. Thereafter, they would go to the house of the victims with an artist to draw the sketch of the criminals based on the description given by the victims.

A contract has been signed in this connection with the College of Arts and Crafts, Patna. The officer said. “A group of students from the college will be helping the police in this connection. A contract has been signed for the same.” The senior officer said after some sketches are in, they would be published in newspapers so that people could identify the criminals.

“The police think the move of drawing sketches will bear result. Till now, the police have got a dozen of sketches of chain-snatchers. All the station house officers have been asked to mail the sketches to the SSP office so that they can be compiled for further action,” Alok Kumar said.

A section of cops believes recalling the physical appearance of criminals two years after an incident is next to impossible. But the SSP said even a faint memory would help the police.

A few other cops are doubtful if sketches would really help curb chain-snatching, as similar steps taken in the past have not helped much. One of them said: “Similar steps were initiated in the past. But they were not implemented properly. The new plan of sketching the criminal is quite dicey. Sketches will not ensure a catch.” Recalling a previous incident when the police had released the sketch of an eve-teaser, he said: “The picture of a man, who had molested a teenager near JD Women’s College on February 27, this year, was also released. No one has been caught yet.”

Kumar admitted that sketches were not the best way to nab criminals. But he was hopeful of getting some clue from them. “It is true that a person whose chain was snatched two years ago would have problems recalling the physical appearance of the snatcher. But then we are not expecting the victims to be spot-on. The victims will have a faint memory of people who attacked them. But that will also help the police,” he said.

In a bid to put brakes on chain-snatching incidents, the city police have decided to revive the system of patrolling lanes and bylanes.

“There was a system some two years ago under which a group of policemen used to patrol the small roads, which are now the hunting grounds of the chain-snatchers. It has been reactivated. Cops have been directed to patrol the lanes and bylanes of localities. Most of the time the police patrol the main roads . The lanes and bylanes are ignored,” another officer said.