Gang robs man of Rs 1.5cr worth of jewellery at gunpoint in Tamil Nadu
CHENNAI: In a daring daylight robbery, a four-member gang robbed a jeweller of Rs 1.5 crore worth of ornaments and Rs 5 lakh in cash at gunpoint at his shop at Muthapudupet in Avadi on Monday. The gang escaped with the valuables after tying up P Prakash (33), the owner of the jewellery-cum-pawn shop, to a chair inside the shop. The Avadi police have formed five special teams to nab the suspects.
According to the Muthapudupet police, Prakash, who is from the same area, was running the shop for the past four years. On Monday, around noon, four men entered the shop posing as customers when Prakash was alone in the shop. A police source said, “After a few minutes of checking the jewellery at the shop, the gang brandished two pistols at Prakash and tied him up. They then took the jewels and cash from the shop’s locker and fled.” After the gang escaped from the spot, Prakash untied himself and informed the police who rushed to the spot and started an investigation.
As per preliminary inquiries, police said the gang did not wear masks or try to cover their faces. Police suspect that more people could have been involved in the robbery. While four suspects were inside the shop, two or three more could have kept a watch from outside, police sources said. “We have taken the CCTV footage from the shop and have the visuals of the gang looting the shop. We have circulated the pictures of the suspects to other police stations and are using the CCTV footage from railway stations, bus stands, and other places to track them down. Five special teams have been formed to nab the gang,” police sources said.
Police said the stolen valuables include a mix of old and new gold jewellery. The old jewels belong to at least 100 people who had pawned them with the shop. A probe is under way.