Amalapuram (Andhra Pradesh), Jun 26 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh police, early on Saturday morning, swooped in on a notorious chain snatching duo at Amalapuram in East Godavari district and arrested them.

The arrested duo -- Ethakota Srinu Babu (39) and Mallavarapu Durga Prasad (36), are responsible for as many as 19 chain snatchings, with the confiscated booty running up to a value of Rs 31.1 lakh.

The police recovered 610 grams of gold and a stolen two wheeler, which they were using for their chain snatching raids.

Babu and Prasad's thefts spanned the entire geography of the East Godavari district, leading up to eight snatchings in Amalapuram sub-division, three in Ramachandrapuram, six in Kakinada and two in Yanam.

Around 3 p.m. on December 7, the duo struck at Gunnepalli Agraharam in Amalapuram rural, snatching three gold chains from a woman's neck which were valued at Rs 80,000.

It took six months for police to crack this case and arrest the snatchers under IPC Section 382.

"On interrogation before the mediators, the accused voluntarily admitted and confessed to a total of 19 snatchings and one motorcycle offence (theft), " said a police official.