CCTV grab of car helps cops bust gang of burglars

CHENNAI: With a gang of burglars on the prowl in Mylapore and Mandaveli, police had just one lead – a CCTV camera grab of a dark grey automobile with a distinctive wheel having five spokes.

A spell of painstaking detective work followed before they finally hit pay dirt on Monday, nabbing the four-member gang and seizing 53 sovereigns of gold jewellery, a car, autorickshaw and one kg of silver items.

Police said the gang originally used an autorickshaw to ferry the stolen booty but decided to purchase a used car to make it easier to conceal the looted goods.

The arrested men were identified as Srinivasan, 28, of Saidapet, Marimuthu, 26, of Puducherry, Shiva alias Shankar, 29, of Ullagaram, and Rajesh, 27, of Kunrathur.

Following a complaint by Nirmal Kumar, 38, of Mandaveli that burglars had removed the bathroom grille and looted 56 sovereigns of gold jewellery from his house, a special team headed by Kotturpuram assistant commissioner Sudharshan investigated the case.

After inspecting CCTV camera footage, police found a dark grey car moving around the locality in the early hours. Though the registration number was not visible, police found the car had a wheel with five spokes and confirmed it to be a Honda Civic.

A police team shortlisted all Honda Civic cars with a dark grey shade registered in the city, traced the addresses of the owners and questioned them. One of the owners told police that he had sold the car to a man from Saidapet. When the man was questioned, he confessed to his involvement in the burglary and helped police trace the other three members of the gang.

Interrogations revealed that the men parked their vehicle four streets away from the targeted house and scaled the compound walls of the houses on the intervening streets before reaching their destination. They usually operated past midnight when the residents were asleep, said a police officer.

Police said the men were history-sheeters who had met in prison and exchanged phone numbers. Later, after their release, they arranged for a meeting and planned the burglary.

“The men masked their faces and put on gloves when they were out on a mission. As of now, we have found that they were involved in at least four burglaries in and around Mylapore,” said an investigating officer.

“We suspect the involvement of more people and will arrest them soon,” he added. The four men have been remanded in judicial custody.