CHENNAI: A 23-year-old youth, who posed as a Customs officer and snatched a gold necklace worth Rs 12 lakh from a passenger at Chennai airport, was arrested by the police.
The accused, identified as Syed Mushraf (23) from Tiruchy, resides in Madipakkam. He drives a bike taxi and also act as a broker arranging rides for taxi drivers at Chennai airport.
On Tuesday night, Nandagopal (23) of Anna Nagar arrived at the domestic terminal to collect a cover from a woman passenger who had flown in from Coimbatore. The cover contained a 12-sovereign gold necklace valued at around Rs 12 lakh. As the two walked through Terminal 1, Mushraf approached them claiming to be a Customs officer. He alleged that the cover contained smuggled gold and said it had to be inspected. He forcibly took the cover and asked them to follow him before disappearing towards the international terminal.
After realising they had been cheated, Nandagopal approached Customs officials, who confirmed that no officer had seized the package. He then lodged a complaint with the Airport Police.
The police examined CCTV footage and identified the suspect as a man frequently seen operating as a bike taxi rider and taxi broker at the airport. On Friday night, Mushraf appeared at the airport police station with his lawyer and surrendered. During questioning, he admitted that he had noticed the gold necklace while waiting for customers outside the terminal, impersonated a Customs officer, and escaped with the jewellery.
He also handed over the stolen necklace to the police. Following his confession, the airport police arrested him, recovered the gold, and produced him before the court, which remanded him in judicial custody.