Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101059590400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Held for theft

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: A lab assistant charged with stealing jewellery and cash many times for almost a year from his employers’ house was arrested by the Valasaravakkam police on Thursday. A total of 35 sovereigns and electronic gadgets were recovered from him.

Police said Bhagyaraj alias Raja (23) of Peranambakkam village in Tiruvannamalai district was employed in the clinic run by Dr. Kamaraj on First Main Road, Alwar Thirunagar Annexe, Valasaravakkam, for the last five years. In the last one year, the accused had stolen small pieces of jewellery and cash from the doctor’s house on various occasions as the clinic operated from a portion of the latter’s residence.

With valuables and cash going missing from his house frequently, Dr.Kamaraj lodged a police complaint on Tuesday. Following preliminary investigations, police suspected the hand of an insider as there were no signs of a house break or intrusion. A thorough scrutiny of the clinic employees revealed that Bhagyaraj had committed the offence.

“The culprit had made duplicate keys for the main door and the almirah where the valuables were kept and has been stealing jewellery and cash for the last one year,” said M. S. Muthusamy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (T.Nagar).

He was produced before a court and remanded to custody.