Police in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district have apprehended a 29-year-old man with a lengthy criminal record in connection with a significant house break-in and theft of gold jewellery valued at approximately eight lakh rupees.
The Arrest and the Accused
The arrest was made on Saturday, following a tip-off from vigilant night patrol officers. The suspect, identified as Saran from Cheranmadevi in Tirunelveli district, was spotted behaving suspiciously upon seeing the police patrol near Pallipalayam. Upon questioning, his involvement in a recent theft case came to light.
Investigations revealed that Saran is a habitual offender, with more than 30 theft cases already registered against him. He had been released on bail just in December 2023, prior to committing this crime.
Details of the December 26 Theft
The crime in question occurred on December 26 at the residence of M Vadivel, a 45-year-old resident of SPB Colony near Pallipalayam. Vadivel had filed a police complaint stating that the lock on his front door was broken and 6.5 sovereigns of gold jewellery were stolen from inside.
Following the complaint, the Pallipalayam police registered a case. A team led by DSP Gautham and Inspector Ranjith Kumar visited the spot, collected forensic evidence, and launched a detailed investigation to track down the culprit.
Unusual Motive and Recovery of Stolen Gold
The investigation uncovered a personal motive behind the theft. Police stated that Saran's wife had separated from him and was residing in the same SPB Colony. After his release on bail, Saran went to the area looking for his estranged wife.
"During this search, he noticed the locked house of Vadivel and committed the theft. He later gifted the stolen gold jewellery to his wife after he found her," explained Inspector Ranjith Kumar.
In a twist, the police added that Saran's wife had subsequently melted the stolen jewellery. However, law enforcement officials managed to recover the gold. Saran was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody at Salem Central Prison on Sunday.
