Pawnbroker locks up trio who pledged fake jewellery with him

CHENNAI: A pawnbroker locked up three persons in his store and alerted police after he realized that the trio exchanged fake gold jewellery weighing 74 grams and took Rs.3.30 lakh money from him at Otteri.

Since those who tried to cheat the pawnbroker are known to him, a compromise was made and the pawnbroker did not press for further action and the police let them off with a warning, sources said.

The family of the complainant, G Rampal (31) of Perambur Jamalia has been running a pawnbroker shop in the locality for the last four and half decades.

Two men had got acquainted with Rampal two years ago claiming to run a construction business.

In July, one of them had contacted Rampal over the phone and claimed that his aunt is affected with cancer, and for her treatment, he had pledged some jewellery with another pawnbroker in Tambaram.

The businessman wanted Rampal to help him recover the jewellery paying cash and then keep it for himself.

After discussing with the family, Rampal recovered the jewel and then kept them in a bank locker.

Meanwhile, on August 22, the businessman had pledged 24 grams with Rampal and took Rs 1.1 lakh, and on Saturday, he pledged another 50 grams and took Rs 2.2 lakh.

Sensing that the jewellery was fake, Rampal checked them and after confirming that his acquaintances had pledged fake jewellery, the pawnbroker summoned them for a casual talk on Sunday and locked them up inside the shop, and alerted the Otteri police.