CHENNAI: A mobile phone that was stolen from a man was returned to him through a delivery service after the accused reset the phone and stole Rs 5,000 from his bank account. The police said the accused had even demanded money from the victim’s wife to get the phone delivered, but failed. The accused could be a tech expert as he had used an advanced software to transfer the amount, the police added.
The victim was identified as Selvendran, an assistant director in the Tamil film industry from Virugambakkam, who had gone to Arumbakkam on Tuesday to meet a friend. He had parked his two-wheeler outside a juice shop and went inside, leaving his mobile phone in the bike. When he returned, the phone was missing and Selvendran lodged a police complaint.
Attempts to contact the number initially went unanswered before the phone was switched off. The CCTV footage reportedly showed an unidentified youth sitting on the vehicle shortly before the theft.
Later, when Selvendran’s wife Sangeetha tried calling, a man answered and claimed the phone had been picked up accidentally by a boy. He sought her location on the pretext of returning it, but later demanded Rs 1,500. Although she refused to pay him, the phone was sent through a delivery agent, the police said.
After recovering the device, Selvendran found it had been reset and Rs 5,000 had been transferred from his bank account using a digital payment app. The Vadapalani police are probing the case.
Accused could be tech expert: Police
The police said the accused could have been a tech expert as he had used an advanced software to transfer the amount