Criminals took full advantage of Narendra Modi's fast, when a majority of the policemen were busy with bandobast and security measures for the CM's three-day event that started on Saturday.

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According to the police department, more than 900 cops were deployed for the Sadbhavna Mission at Gujarat University convention hall for three days. This large posse of policemen included top officials like DCPs, ACPs and police inspectors, along with PSIs and constables. 

Seizing their chance, thieves and miscreants went on a robbing spree in the city during this period - in just two days, more than 8 incidents of chain snatching and 7 incidents of thefts and loot were reported, which is much higher than the average crime rate.

In 8 separate incidents, female citizens lost gold ornaments worth Rs 2.72 lakhs in two days. Chain snatchers targeted citizens of Meghaninagar, Shahibaug, Ramol, Naroda, Vastrapur and Chandkheda areas. The total loot amounted to Rs11 lakh.

Of these, 5 incidents happened on Saturday, while 3 took place on Sunday. At 12:15pm on Saturday near Shreyas bridge, two bike borne youngsters snatched a gold mangalsutra from Lata Desai, a resident of Judges Bungalow. She was traveling on an Activa with her husband, when suddenly the snatchers grabbed the chain which was worth Rs 25,000 and sped away.

In similar fashion, a man grabbed a gold chain worth Rs 29,000 from Chandrika Patel, near Arpan school in Vastral area at 3:30pm. Two hours later, another woman lost her gold chain worth Rs 25,000 near Parimal society in Chandkheda. Kiranben Mishra was going pillion with her husband on an Activa when two young men came on their bike and snatched her gold chain. 

Fifteen minutes later, chain snatchers struck again near a municipal school in Meghaninagar. Two bike-borne persons snatched a gold chain worth Rs 17,000 from Pushpa Amin's neck when she was walking by the school. Earlier in the morning, another woman became a victim of chain snatchers. Her chain was worth a whopping Rs 50,000.

Continuing their looting spree across the city, chain snatchers also struck on Sunday. In three separate incidents in Vastrapur and Naroda, women lost gold chains worth Rs 1.11 lakhs.

Finding a convenient 'playground' where there were no policemen, thieves and robbers also struck in different parts of the city and went away with valuables worth Rs 8.32 lakhs in two days. These incidents happened in areas like Navrangpura, Chandkheda, Bapunagar, Ramol, Sabarmati, Sardarnagar and Dani Limda.