CHENNAI: Police on Saturday arrested a 46-year-old man who targeted elderly women at government hospitals by diverting their attention and escaping with their gold jewellery.

MGR Nagar police arrested the accused, P Chithravel (46), of Madurai and recovered 5.5 sovereigns of stolen gold jewellery from him.

MGR Nagar Police initiated a probe into a complaint by a 67-year-old woman, S Susheela of Vadapalani who was conned by the accused into handing over her gold chain and ring to him.

On January 16, Susheela went to the ESI hospital in KK Nagar for her regular check-up when the accused approached her and told her that she was eligible for a government insurance scheme for the elderly and claimed that he could help her.

Convinced the woman that she should not look 'well off' when meeting the officials, he told her to hand over her gold chain and ring to him. After making Susheela fill her details in a notebook which he claimed to be a register, the man escaped with her jewels. Realising she was cheated, the woman filed a police complaint.

After apprehending the accused, police learnt that he robbed a three sovereign gold chain from an elderly woman at Tiruvallur government hospital too using the same modus operandi. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.