Crimes by imposters on the rise

There has been a spurt in crimes involving criminals posing as service personnel or casual labourers, causing concern to the authorities and residents as S. SHIVAKUMAR finds out.

EVEN SERVING a glass of water to a stranger or allowing someone claiming to be service personnel of a cable TV operator or a telephone department worker inside the house without proper verification could prove dangerous in Chennai.

Indeed, there has been a spurt in crime incidents involving criminals posing as service personnel or casual labourers, causing concern for the authorities and residents.

On Wednesday, two persons posing as painters went to a house on Ponniamman Koil Street in Muthialpet. They gained the confidence of the lone woman inmate, and entered the first floor. As painting work was in progress in the house, she believed them.

The intruders, after ensuring there was no one else in the house, whipped out hidden knives and forced the woman into a room. They bound her up and took away about 10 sovereigns of jewellery.

Luckily, in her case, the culprits were traced within a day and the jewellery recovered. However, several cases remain undetected. The daring operations by criminals in broad daylight have shaken the city's security apparatus.

For, only a couple of days earlier, a gang had struck at a house in the busy Vijaynagar First Main Road at Velacheri around 11 a.m. This time the criminals posed as courier company personnel. Once inside the house, they took out hidden knives and directed the lone housemaid to remain silent. After taking valuables from the almirah, they gagged and bound the housemaid before escaping.

The Chengai-East police are still in the dark about the gang which struck terror among the residents of Nanganallur. The culprits escaped after robbing a housewife on the busy Fourth Main Road in broad daylight. The gangsters brandished knives to ensure no one came close to them.

In another incident a few months ago, a two persons posing as workers of a local cable TV operator, cheated the aged parents of a bank employee and took away their jewellery in Maduravoyal.

Ironically, the bank employee had brought the jewellery from the safety locker only on that day for an auspicious occasion in the house. The culprits had come exactly on that day and duped the inmates. A suspicion that these criminals are tipped off by some source gains credence as houses have been targeted when it has been advantageous for criminals.

Moreover, in several cases, criminals themselves have confessed to police that they have operated based on information provided to them by housemaids, dhobis or those who have access to the house. There have been a couple of murders for gain in the city by criminals in connivance with dhobis. In the sensational `Sriram kidnap and murder case', the car driver was the prime accused.

Incidentally, it is learnt that the police had managed to trace the culprits who had duped the bank employee's parents; however, the victims are yet to receive the jewellery.

With the chances of those losing their valuables getting them back being remote, it is time that residents take necessary precautions, says a retired police official. At least five burglaries were reported in the city and on the outskirts everyday.

Apart from installing steel grilles and exercising caution while allowing strangers or casual labourers inside the house, residents can have their houses and belongings insured, he added.

An insurance official points out that residential homes can be insured for as low as Rs. 550 per annum. For about 10 sovereigns of jewellery and some electronic gadgets, the amount is around Rs. 1,000 per annum. However, hardly about one lakh homes in a city were insured. Last year about 100 claims arising out of burglary were settled, the official added.

Meanwhile, residents associations in the city say they would like to insist that personnel who provide services should carry proper identity card but the organisations should also co-operate by issuing these. It is suggested that security gadgets could be installed as it would serve as a deterrent to criminals.

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Section  : Southern States
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