High-tech surveillance cameras and guard dogs need not be deterrent to today’s burglars, even in broad daylight. The owner of a private college in Tirupattur would agree to this as burglars decamped with valuables, worth almost Rs 40 lakh from his house, which had four surveillance cameras and three dogs, on Thursday afternoon.
The police said burglars looted 93 sovereigns of gold jewellery, `8 lakh, one kilogram of silver ornaments and four wristwatches worth almost `1 lakh from the house of Swamynathan (73) on London Mission Street in Tirupattur. The burglars gained entry into the first floor of the house by breaking open the grill gate at the rear of house.
The robbery took place after 12 in the noon when Swamynathan left for his college- Holy Cross Arts and Science College for Women. His wife Ritamary and daughter Julia Sundari, who had come from the US on holiday, had left for their school, Holy Cross Matriculation Higher Secondary School, around 11.15 am. The robbery came to light around 1.30 pm when Swamynathan returned home. He found the house locked inside and the grill gate of the first floor of the house broken open and jewels and valuables inside the bureau missing.
Swamynathan had installed four surveillance cameras in the house and was also rearing three dogs for guarding the house. “We are taking steps to retrieve footage from cameras and its back-up system to get the visuals of the miscreants. It has been sent to Vellore,” inspector T Santhalingam Kandhili Police, who is the investigation officer in the case, said.
During the theft, only two dogs were present in the front side of the house, as the third one had been sent to the veterinarian for treatment. “Making use of the opportunity, the miscreants had broken open the rear of the two-storey building’s door,” the police officer said further.
Superintendent of Police P Vijaya Kumar inspected the house and conducted an inquiry. The department has also constituted four special teams led by DSPs E Vijayakumar (Ambur), S Manickam (Vaniyambadi), S Dhakshinamoorthy (Vellore) and inspector of Kandhili Station to track down the burglars.
Finger prints were lifted from the spot to assist the investigation teams to zero in on the culprits. “We are awaiting video footage from the surveillance cameras at the house. It will help us in the investigation,” DSP Manickam said.