Serial burglars who tried to rob US couple nabbed

The accused, identified as M Vanni Karuppu (27) of Virudhunagar and S Surendran (24) alias Raj of Madurai, were secured after the CCTV footage retrieved from the areas where the burglaries were reported were combed for days together for clues.

The two men have more than 10 burglary cases pending against them at Madurai and Sivaganga districts, said the police. They were remanded in judicial custody, and a hunt has been launched for two more accomplices.

The gang first struck a house of a senior citizen couple at Besant Nagar on February 14 when they were out of town, and escaped with cash and jewels. 

On February 17, the same gang entered the house of Cary Stewart and Diana, expats living in Neelankarai, and threatened them at knifepoint for valuables, said police. After Diana alerted police control room, the gang fled the spot.