Noida (UP), Jan 8 (PTI) Five members of a gang that allegedly targeted women at crowded places with a design to steal their mobile phones were arrested in Greater Noida, police said on Wednesday.

The accused were held on Tuesday from a spot near the Jagat Farm by officials of the Beta II police station, who had intercepted an autorickshaw and a motorcycle for checking, Superintendent of Police (SP), Greater Noida, Ranvijay Singh said.

"As many as 39 mobile phones were recovered from them," he added.

"The accused worked as a gang of mobile snatchers and targeted women at crowded places such as markets. They would walk behind a woman, take out the mobile phone from her bag and pass it to another accomplice. By the time the victim got a whiff of what happened, they would disappear in the crowd," Singh told reporters.

The accused were identified as Monu, Vishal Mahto, Pappu, Suneel Mahto and Mohammed Suman Sheikh, the police said.

An FIR was lodged against the accused, who were sent to jail, they added.

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