CHENNAI, 12 SEPTEMBER: Two school dropouts and a pawnbroker were arrested on 9 September in connection with a series of chain snatchings and robberies in Ashok Nagar and nearby areas. The footage is the CCTV installed by members of a residents’ welfare association in Ashok Nagar helped Police to trace the culprits. 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery worth 7 lakh and cash were seized by the Police from the culprits. The thieves, S Thameem Ansari, 20, and Arjunan, 20, both of Thousand Lights, acted on the instructions of G Kishore Kumar, 42, who runs a pawnshop in the same area, investigations revealed. Mala, 37, a resident of Ashok Nagar was returning home from a nearby shop on August 25 at around 6am, when Thameem and Arjunan snatched her six sovereign gold chain and fled the scene on a motor bike, Police said. Police circulated CCTV footage of the men among various WhatsApp groups of police personnel to trace the suspects. One of the police teams identified the duo when they were travelling on a bike. When the Police questioned they confessed to their role in the chain-snatchings and revealed the involvement of the pawnbroker Kishore. Kishore was picked up by Police personnel who admitted to having masterminded the crimes to earn easy money. An investigating officer said, “After committing a theft, they would inform Kishore who would collect the stolen jewels by paying them half the money initially. Since he owns a pawnshop, it was easy for him to sell the jewels”. “Police personnel instructed all the residents’ welfare associations and shop keepers to install CCTV cameras on their premises that face the road to ensure safety and enhance security’’ said Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ashok Nagar, Mr. G Harikumar. ‘’More than 120 cameras were installed in Ashok Nagar and nearby areas, which helped us crack the case”, the ACP said.]]>
