Student, mom steal 40 sovereigns from locked house, held

The arrested, Vijay (22), was staying in an apartment in Pallavaram and his mother Dhanalakshmi (44) in North Chennai. The victim, Elavarasan (33) of Nanganallur 13th Street, a software engineer with a private firm was away in his native Coimbatore since the lockdown began. On July 21, on his return, he found the grill gate and front door broke open and 40 sovereigns of gold and one lakh in cash stolen.

Pazhavanthangal police, on combing CCTV footage, found a youth getting out of an auto in the night and walking towards the house. Police got hold of the auto driver by tracking the registration number and confirmed that Vijay, a college student from Pallavaram was the thief. After browsing over 100 CCTV camera footages, police traced his apartment and two days ago, after getting hints on Vijay’s arrival, rushed there and nabbed him. During the enquiry, Vijay told police that valuables he looted are with his mother in North Chennai. On Thursday, police arrested his mother Dhanalaksmi and seized 18 sovereigns of jewellery.

Police said last month Vijay hurled a petrol bomb inside the apartment after a quarrel with the security guard and escaped before the police could arrive. Both mother and son have been sent to Puzhal prison.