The Hindu : Front Page : 78-year-old robber in police net

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Sunday, Aug 15, 2010
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78-year-old robber in police net

Special Correspondent

TAMBARAM: A 78-year-old man was arrested on Thursday on charges of robbing gold jewellery and silver articles from more than two dozen houses of senior citizens in the southern suburbs of Chennai.

The accused confessed to the police and also told the media that he had robbed 1,000 homes across Tamil Nadu by adopting the same modus operandi.

Srinivasa Raghavan used to rob silver articles with such ease that he earned the alias of ‘Silver' Srinivasan. Chennai Suburban Police Commissioner S.R.Jangid told mediapersons on Friday that the arrest followed a complaint from a resident of New Colony, Pazhavanthangal, that a stranger who introduced himself as a distant relative robbed the family of jewellery.

V.Varadharaju, Deputy Commissioner of Police, St. Thomas Mount, said Srinivasan was arrested in 2008 and since his release had robbed from more than two dozen houses. ‘Silver' Srinivasan told reporters that he would randomly knock at the doors of elderly couple in the daytime. He would introduce himself as a distant relative and after speaking convincingly for a few minutes, he would earn their confidence. He would inform the couple that his daughter was getting married and that he had purchased jewellery and was searching for the right model of almirah. The unsuspecting victims would take him to the almirah and even open it. He would ask for water and the moment the couple left the room, he would pick a box containing jewellery. Jewellery weighing 70 sovereigns and silver articles weighing 10 kg, totally worth Rs.13 lakh, were recovered from him. Srinivasan hails from Moolapettai in Nellore.

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