An attention diversion gang was busted with a suspect held near Tiruchi

A city police team that was probing the theft of 4.7 kg of gold jewellery by a man, who diverted the victim’s attention, were startled when the search led them to a village in Tiruchi where most of the residents were, believe it or not, thieves.

After much resistance from residents, the team managed to apprehend one suspect while seven others fled.

According to Mambalam police, the theft occurred on Nageswara Rao Road in T. Nagar on June 18 when jewellery wholesaler Nikhil from NSC Bose Road was waiting in a car with a bag containing the jewellery, worth over Rs. 1 crore. An unidentified man knocked on the door and said that some rupee notes had fallen on the road next to the vehicle. While Nikhil stepped out and collected the money, the man fled with the bag of gold.

Following a complaint, joint commissioner (south) R. Thirugnanam ordered a probe and a team led by assistant commissioner of Police S. Venkatachalapathy probed offenders with a history of theft by attention diversion.

Specific clues led investigators to Punganur village in Ramji Nagar, Tiruchi were police rounded up a suspect identified as Azhaguraja (23). “The village and adjoining area is home to many men who have taken up thievery as a profession. There are small gangs that travel to Chennai and other cities for thefts and a big gang at home protects them from getting busted. It was with much difficulty that we arrested Azhaguraja,” said an investigating officer.

A total of 3.25 kg of the stolen gold jewellery was recovered from the youth.

Seven of his relatives, who were involved in the robbery, are absconding with rest of the booty. After interrogation, he was remanded to custody on Friday and sent to Puzhal prison. A manhunt is on for the seven men, who according to Azhaguraja, have left the country with the 1.5 kg of gold.