Chengalpattu youth uses drone to trace thieves hiding in lake

CHENNAI: Two thieves from Chennai, who broke into a locked house in Maduranthagam in neighbouring Chengalpattu, managed to outrun the house owner and others who were hot on their heels and almost escaped by jumping into a marshy lake. But their attempt was foiled by the quick thinking of the youth who used a drone to trace the burglars, who were nabbed and handed over to the police.

The owner of the house, Parthasarathy (60), had left for Chennai to meet his relatives. On Wednesday evening, his son Surya (24) spotted two youngsters standing outside his father's house. When he approached them, they quickly fled from the spot on a bike. Growing suspicious, Surya checked the house to find the main door broken open and that the thieves were trying to open the locked bureau in search of valuables.

After he shouted for help, villagers rushed to his aid and began chasing the duo, who jumped into a lake and hid amid the thick vegetation. The youth immediately contacted a studio in their village and asked the owner to help trace the burglars using the drone used for shooting videos.

The visuals that the drone beamed showed the duo hiding in the middle of the lake. After spotting them, the villagers jumped in and caught them before the thieves could escape again. They were handed over at the Maduranthagam police station.

After questioning, the police identified them as Sanjay (22) of Madipakkam and Johnson (20) of Zamin Pallavaram, allegedly part of a four-member group from Chennai who travelled to Maduranthagam on two bikes to target locked houses for burglary.

The police have registered a case and the search is on to nab the two others who are missing.