Kathmandu, February 17

Police have arrested two pickpockets, who stole mobile phones and wallets from passengers aboard city buses.

Anuj KC, 20 of Battisputali, Kathmandu and Yagya Bahadur Khatri, 23 of Okhaldhunga were held with two iPhone sets, 13 mobile phone sets of various brands and Rs 10,000, said

DSP Surendra Mainail, in-charge of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala.

Milan Sharma (name changed) had boarded a micro bus from Purano Baneshwor to Chabahil on Monday. When he reached his destination, Sharma found that his mobile phone was missing and he immediately alerted the MPC.

Police officials received details about the micro buses plying the route and frisked the passengers.

Police then nabbed KC and based on the details provided by him raided the Gothatar-based rented room of Khatri and arrested him with the gadgets, including the mobile phone set of Sharma.

DSP Mainali said three victims of pickpocketing have already contacted the police to claim their gadgets.

For the past few years the duo have been traveling on buses and micro buses in rush hours and were stealing mobile phones and wallets from passengers.

“In the crowded buses they can be easily mistaken as other passengers,” said DSP Mainali. Once the wallets and valuables are stolen, they would assemble at a spot and share the cash and valuables.

Mainali said the MPS had deployed cops in civvies to monitor the suspected places after it received complaints of pick-pocketing.