CHENNAI: A stolen cellphone accidentally dropped by two men while snatching a chain from a woman in Tiruvallur helped police zero in on the duo on Wednesday.On Sunday, the duo were riding on a bike near Sevvapettai when Anitha, who was riding a two-wheeler, sustained injures after being knocked down by a lorry.On the pretext of helping her, Prakash, 23, a previous offender, took her to the hospital in an autorickshaw.On the way to the hospital, Prakash stole Anitha's phone and Rs 25,000 from her bag. However, before Anitha had left home, she had informed her relatives that she was carrying Rs 25,000 in her bag, said a police officer. After reaching the hospital, they searched for the phone and cash but in vain. They subsequently lodged a police complaint.After Prakash dropped Anitha at the hospital, he and his friend Arun Kumar, 22, went to the scene of the accident in the hope of making away with her two-wheeler. But local villagers grew suspicious about the men and refused to give it to them.Later, on Tuesday, Prakash and Arun Kumar snatched a chain from a woman who was walking near Kannankottai.While escaping, they dropped Anitha’s cellphone at the spot. Passersby handed over the cellphone to police who found that it belonged to Anitha.When they contacted her, she explained how it was stolen. Based on CCTV camera footage at the hospital, police nabbed the duo.Police said Prakash and Arun Kumar were involved in several cellphone snatching cases in Tiruvallur. They usually targeted women travelling alone, said a police officer.

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