KOCHI: Online gaming can be addictive and it may sometimes lead you to a life of crime. A 34-year-old man who lost money in business and online gaming became a serial chain snatcher to clear his debts.
Muhammed Mustafa, a Malappuram native who is staying in Aluva along with his wife and a toddler, is the person in question.
The Palarivattom police arrested the serial robber based on a tip off they received from CCTV footage near Kadavanthra on Sunday. Including in Tamil Nadu, Mustafa was involved in nearly 30 crimes.
According to the report, he has robbed over 125 sovereigns of gold worth over Rs 50 lakh since 2017.
"A few days ago, he snatched a 2.5 sovereign gold chain from a housewife near Gandhi Nagar. Though he had never left a trace in previous crimes, his face and vehicle number were captured on CCTV this time. Based on that, we traced his movements and finally caught him on Thursday morning," said a police officer.
According to the police, Mustafa, who works as a street vendor in several parts of the city during the day, had devised his own modus operandi.
"Mustafa’s victims were mostly housewives who leave their homes early in the morning to go jogging or to temples. He also used to visit the areas the day before the crime so that he will get a clear picture of the area," said the police.
Mustafa also revealed before the police that he entered into the world of crime after he suffered a huge loss in his business, followed by a loss that he suffered through online games.