CHENNAI: In a third such incident where fraudsters misused the model code of conduct in place, a group robbed Rs 27 lakh from a money exchange centre in Egmore on Tuesday evening.
Police said the gang, posing as customs officials, kidnapped four staff members from the centre, when the owner was not present and dropped them off at the Island Grounds after extracting the amount. The incident took place at the money exchange centre located on the first floor of the Prince Plaza at Pantheon Road at around 6.30 on Tuesday evening.
Police said, Amith Meeran (55) of Pudupet, owns the money exchange centre. His sons Kaja Moideen (35) and Nazir (35) along with two other staff members, Mohammed and Bashir, were in the shop.
“Five men in a car with a Customs sticker on it reached the Asha International Forex and introduced themselves as customs officials and searched the shop. They found Rs 40 lakh cash and asked for related documents. After Moideen explained that the documents were with Amith Meeran who had gone to the mosque, the gang asked them to board their vehicle,” said a police officer.
The gang also took the DVR from the shop in order to check who had entered the shop in the past one month, said the police.
When the car reached Island Grounds, they allegedly threatened to be given Rs 27 lakh so that they wouldn’t file any case. Mohammed returned to the shop and handed over the cash to the gang who left them on the road and sped away.
Based on a complaint by Amith Meeran, Egmore police registered a case and collected CCTV footage in and around Island Grounds.
On March 14, a group posing as an election flying squad robbed the staff of a construction company of Rs 1.07 crore by intercepting their car in Saidapet. Police are trying to trace the suspects with their mobile phone numbers, said police.
A similar incident was reported in Kilpauk on March 9 in which a gang robbed an bus passenger of Rs 98 lakh, posing as police personnel.