Chennai: Greater Chennai Police have nabbed a gang of pickpockets that stole cellphones from bus commuters in the city.

According to police, the gang was led by Umapathy (33) of Korukkupet.They said he and his men had a well-rehearsed gameplan. The team first identified areas where buses are crowded. Four of them would get into a bus, while the fifth person would stand on the footboard. They would line up behind the target. They would steal phones only from bags and trouser pockets. They told the police it was difficult to steal phones from shirt pockets without the target realising it.

K Karthikeyan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kilpauk, said: ‘”We analysed CCTV footage and IMEI numbers of stolen cellphones. Our team found a particular group involved in stealing cellphones in an organised way and nabbed the accused after following a long trail.’

The others were identified as S Saravanan, 30, M Vinayagam, 45, L Naresh, 30, of Korukkupet and Umar Farooq, 30, of Tondiarpet. As many as 108 cellphones, a two-wheeler, and an autorickshaw were seized from them.