60-yr-old tries to con pawnbroker with imitation gold, arrested

The arrested person was identified as Chinnasamy (60) from Salem. The incident took place at a shop run by Harichand Jain (54) on MGR Main Road in Nanganallur.

On Thursday afternoon, Chinnasamy approached Harichand with a pair of earrings weighing four grams to pledge them. He said he would take it back within a week after repaying the money. However, Harichand refused to buy the earrings, stating that he had not seen him in the locality and hence cannot take the gold.

Following this, Chinnasamy claimed that his granddaughter was admitted in the hospital and that the staff wanted him to pay the money immediately. He said the earring belonged to his wife. Hearing this, Harichand accepted to take the jewels and gave him Rs 8,500.

After an hour, Chinnasamy returned with a 20 gram chain. Though suspicious, Harichand offered to pay Rs 55,000, but asked him to wait.

When Harichand checked the gold, he found out that the chain was made up of brass and covered with gold. He also found out that the earrings that he gave were also made of brass. When he saw Harichand informing the police, Chinnasamy tried to escape from the spot.

After Harichand raised an alarm, the public caught Chinnasamy just as he was about to get into an autorickshaw at St Thomas Mount railway station. Meanwhile, the Pazhavanthangal police arrived at the spot and arrested him. During inquiry, it was revealed that he had come to Chennai along with two women. The trio were selling fake gold at a low price. Police arrested him and remanded in judicial custody. A case has been registered and the search for the two women is on.