CCTV clip helps arrest thief on run for decade

The man, Priyan Venkatesan (40), is accused of several burglaries in the districts in south and western regions, and had shifted his base to the city only recently, police said.

When they examined the CCTV camera footage following a theft at a doctor’s home in Kottur Garden on June 16, police found Venkatesan coming out of the house on a bike. The police then tracked and nabbed him, and seized his bike, a car that he used for travel services, seven sovereign gold and Rs 40,000 in cash.

Hailing from Perumbakkam, Venkatesan operated alone, moving through streets in the mornings to check for houses with lights switched on and verandahs piled with newspapers – indicating that the residentswere away.

His ‘speciality’ is a crowbar that he uses to break open any lock or uninstall CCTV cameras. According to preliminary investigations, he has three wives living at Jyothi Ammal Nagar, Kannagi Nagar and Saidapet, said police, adding that women were involved in the crime by helping to sell or pawn the stolen gold.