A Valentine’s Week chocolate order placed through Blinkit has helped Delhi Police crack a mobile phone snatching case and arrest two accused along with a middleman, officials said on Saturday.
iPhone snatching outside housing society
The case surfaced on February 9 after a man lodged a complaint at DBG Road police station, stating that his daughter’s iPhone 14 Pro had been snatched by two unidentified men on a scooter. The incident occurred outside The Amaryllis housing society while she was booking a cab.
Police registered a case and began analysing CCTV footage from the area. Investigators tracked the suspects’ movements to Wazirabad and, with the help of an informer, obtained a mobile number allegedly linked to one of the accused.
Chocolate order becomes key clue
During technical surveillance, officers discovered that the suspects had placed an order for a box of chocolates via Blinkit during Valentine’s Week. This transaction helped police trace the delivery address and further narrow down the suspects’ location.
Subsequent raids led to the arrest of two alleged snatchers and a middleman involved in disposing of stolen phones.
Police added that WhatsApp chats recovered from the accused contained messages discussing the sale of stolen devices, photographs of snatched phones and call recordings with an alleged receiver, identified as Mohd Jahangir, who remains absconding.
Further probe underway
Authorities said efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining accused and recover additional stolen devices. Investigators are also examining whether the arrested individuals are linked to other similar snatching incidents in the capital.
The case highlights how digital footprints and online transactions are increasingly aiding law enforcement agencies in tracking organised street crime.