CHENNAI: The police have launched a search for a youth who snatched the one-and-half sovereign gold chain of a 50-year-old flower vendor near Royapuram on Thursday.

The police identified the victim as R Jothi who is a resident of Power House, in Korukkupet.

The incident occurred in broad daylight on Thursday afternoon when Jothi was near the Vinayakar temple on Mannarsamy Koil Street in Royapuram.

As she was selling flowers, a youth approached her on the pretext of buying flowers and the youth snatched the gold chain she was wearing when she was least expecting it and fled the scene.

Jothi raised alarms and chased the youth for a few metres, but he escaped. Based on the woman's complaint, Royapuram police have registered a case and launched a search for the youth. Police are perusing the CCTV footage to ascertain the identity.