2010-07-13 08:07

SHANGHAI - The police in Shanghai warned the public to exercise caution when traveling on city buses after they recently caught a gang of eight that targeted passengers' jewelry on downtown bus routes.

Ten gold necklaces worth over 50,000 yuan ($7,500) were seized along with the gang, which had committed 22 crimes in Shanghai since September 2009, police said.

"In the summer time, passengers wear less and tend to have their necklaces, bracelets and other accessories exposed, which is an invitation to robbers," Ding Jiaxiang, head of the public transportation crime department of the Shanghai public security bureau, said at a press conference on Monday.

Robbers like the gang that was recently captured usually commit a crime as a bus approaches a stop. They then get up quickly and grab victims' necklaces before jumping off the bus, Ding said.

"Passengers should beware when someone jostles them as they go to get off a bus and check to see if they still have their valuable belongings," he said.

The police became aware of the gang on June 16 when a victim named Pu Caihua alerted them after her gold necklace was stolen while she was getting off a No 43 bus in Xuhui district.

Following an investigation, the eight gang members were captured early this month. Pu's necklace was then returned to her on Monday, as well as property belonging to six other victims.

Shanghai police have caught 245 suspects involved in bus robberies and thefts this year, a decrease of more than 70 percent compared to the same period last year, police said.

The public transportation crime department has set up a hotline, 021-6377-7110, for passengers to report bus robberies and thefts.