Chennai: A filmy style late night gold heist on Anna Salai attempted by a six-member gang was short-lived as cops, with the help of the public, nabbed a gang member leading to the arrest of four others on Wednesday. Two of those held are MBA graduates, police said.
The events unfolded near Todd Hunter Nagar, Saidapet on Anna Salai when the gang on motorcycles intercepted a hatchback from a courier firm in Sowcarpet ferrying about 10 kg of gold worth Rs.2.5 crore. The car was on its way to the airport and the gold package contained mostly jewellery pieces from local jewelers meant to be shipped to Mumbai, police said.
The car, a red Maruti Swift started from 'Jai Matha Ji' courier service in Tirupalli street, Sowcarpet around 10 pm and was on its way to the airport. The occupants of the car were staff of the firm - Virender, Rattan and Sandeep, police said.
Around 11.15 pm, the car was moving along the saidapet bus terminus near Todd Hunter Nagar when the gang on three motorcycles intercepted it. "They started creating a ruckus claiming that the car knocked down a two wheeler injuring a child and fled the scene," according to an investigating officer. The occupants alerted the police control room and soon a crowd gathered there. By the time, a patrol team could reach the scene, the gang attacked the occupants of the car and fled with the package.
However, the public gave chase and managed to nab one of them, Senthil Kumar (29) of Choolaimedu who was handed over to the Patrol team. Senthil Kumar was taken to the Saidapet police station for enquiry and he later led the cops to Selvakumar (21) of Vadapalani, Ashok Kumar (34) of Choolaimedu, Prasad (30) of Kodambakkam and Manikandan (31) of sanatorium.
According to an investigating officer, another gang member, Douglas is absconding. “The arrested persons mentioned that they were acting based on the directions of one Ahmed Ghouse alias Taufiq (33). We are not sure yet as to who is Ahmed and how he was aware of the gold package being ferried,” Saidapet Inspector Kothandaraman (Crime) said.A senior police officer told DC that the movement of jewellery through courier firms is common knowledge in Sowcarpet and they are suspecting the role of a trader who has a shop opposite the courier office. Further investigations are on.
