Date:22/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/22/stories/2005092217560300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Theft at Net centre near police station

Staff Reporter

Police special teams formed to look into the case

BREAK-IN: The Internet browsing-cum-cell phone service centre at Pallavaram, where a burglary was reported. — Photo : A.Muralitharan

TAMBARAM: Cell phones, hard disk drives and computer accessories were stolen from a shop in a commercial complex right above the office of the Inspector of Pallavaram police station.

The stolen property is estimated to be around Rs. 3 lakhs.

The Internet browsing centre and cell phone service centre was in a commercial complex on Grand Southern Trunk Road, Pallavaram. The Inspector's office is located in a corner on the police station premises.

According to the police, Javed, who was running the computer centre, was working until about 11 p.m. on Tuesday. When a woman employee came to the shop on Wednesday morning, she found the doors open and that the shop had been ransacked.

Cellphones missing

Nearly 80 cellphones kept in the shop for servicing, computer parts, electronic accessories and hard disk drives were missing. Theft at a place close to the police station has left residents and traders in the area shocked.

They wondered how it went unnoticed by the policemen on duty.

Office-bearers of one of the traders' association said the theft in a busy locality and that too so close to the police station pointed to the state of police vigil.

Special teams had been formed to look into the case, the police said.