Chennai: Not-so-instant karma. That’s what the Airport Police would have
felt after they spent close to two months tracking and collaring a
thief, only to find that he had been arrested for the same offence 13
years ago. Except, when Jayachandran (38) was busted for stealing 40
mobile phones in 2001, they were an expensive rarity, now they’re
expensive, but commonplace.
It all began three months ago when the cops spotted a pattern in the complaints from international passengers who landed in Chennai - every two weeks, someone was grabbing handbags off the trolley, just as they were speaking to relatives or car drivers outside the arrival gate. “It became clear that someone was waiting there and watching people to see who appeared rich enough to keep mobiles, laptops or jewels in their carry cases or handbags,” explains Airport S2 Station Inspector Mahimaiveeran.
They set up a special team in plain-clothes at the crowded arrival gate and trained the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera on the target zone. But the fish didn’t take the bait. “I don’t know if he got wind that we were on to him, but there was no activity for a month and so we turned our attention to other things,” he adds. Suddenly, six days ago, a passenger walked in and complained that his bag had been pinched at the same spot - and the team swung into action again. Based on footage from the cameras and accounts of what the thief looked like before he fled on foot, they lay in wait with camera grab images of his face.
Read news in full 09/10/14 New Indian Express
It all began three months ago when the cops spotted a pattern in the complaints from international passengers who landed in Chennai - every two weeks, someone was grabbing handbags off the trolley, just as they were speaking to relatives or car drivers outside the arrival gate. “It became clear that someone was waiting there and watching people to see who appeared rich enough to keep mobiles, laptops or jewels in their carry cases or handbags,” explains Airport S2 Station Inspector Mahimaiveeran.
They set up a special team in plain-clothes at the crowded arrival gate and trained the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera on the target zone. But the fish didn’t take the bait. “I don’t know if he got wind that we were on to him, but there was no activity for a month and so we turned our attention to other things,” he adds. Suddenly, six days ago, a passenger walked in and complained that his bag had been pinched at the same spot - and the team swung into action again. Based on footage from the cameras and accounts of what the thief looked like before he fled on foot, they lay in wait with camera grab images of his face.
Read news in full 09/10/14 New Indian Express
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