CHENNAI: A first time offender’s investment to rob a home alone elderly woman in Avadi was to buy himself a churidar in the hope that his disguise would lead police on a wild goose chase. His delusions were short-lived as Avadi City Police arrested him within 24 hours of him robbing the woman.

The arrested person, G Venkatesh Raja (35) was a cab driver and told police that he became a thief to pay off his debts. The incident happened on Sunday October 18.

The victim, K Senthoorakani (60) of Morai near Avadi, was alone at her home when Venkatesh barged in and threatened her with a knife. He took 5-sovereign gold chain from her neck and fled. Senthoorakani informed her husband, Jeyapal, about it, and the couple approached the Avadi Tank Factory police.

“Senthoorakani told us that the accused was wearing a green salwar and ‘her’ face was covered with a cloth. The victim assumed that she was robbed by a woman,” said B Sampath, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Avadi.

Three special teams were formed. They perused CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood and tracked the accused based on the description provided by the victim. Subsequently, police found that the intruder was a man disguised as a woman, and he lived in the same neighbourhood as the victim. He had targeted her to pay off his debts.

“The elderly couple ran a grocery store in the neighbourhood, which Venkatesh had frequently visited. He knew that she was alone at home during the day and targeted her,” the ACP said.

He had pawned the gold chain but the police recovered it. Venkatesh was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.