Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101059680400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Woman conned

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: A 58-year-old woman was robbed of over 15 sovereigns of gold jewellery at her home in Vepery on Wednesday.

Police said that a man slipped away with her jewellery after asking her to offer blessings for a jewellery business he was allegedly going to start.

According to the police, Kamalavadham, whose husband is a pastor, was at her Church Road residence when a well-dressed middle-aged man approached her on the pretext of donating Rs.500 to the prayer centre run by her husband. “He gave her a Rs. 1,000 note and the woman returned Rs. 500. The man immediately told her that he was going to start a jewellery business and wanted her to offer prayers and bless the Rs. 500 note with some jewellery,” said an investigating officer.

Kamalavadham did as he had requested, using her own jewellery because the man told her that he had no jewellery with himself. When the woman closed her eyes and offered prayers, the man allegedly pocketed the jewellery. He soon left after bidding her goodbye, without the woman discovering the theft, the police said.

Following a complaint lodged by the victim to the Vepery police, a team inspected the scene and lifted fingerprints. A sketch of the culprit is also being made on the complainant’s description, the police added.