Police said Sambu (52), a powerloom owner and his family were asleep, when they heard someone knocking the door.

When Sambu opened the door, three persons, claiming to be members of a special team from Kumarapalayam police station, said that they had come to search the house and asked the family members to stay outside. The team had also brought a hand-cuffed man, whom the trio claimed to be a thief, police said.

They told Sambu that the thief had confessed to having handed over the stolen jewels to him and that a search had to be conducted on his house.

A perplexed Sambu and his family came out of the house and the team conducted the search. “The fake cops locked themselves inside the house for some time and then hurriedly left the place in a car. While leaving, they asked the family to come to the police station,” police said.

Only after he went inside, Sambu found that 30 sovereigns of jewels, two kg of silver articles and cash were missing from the bureau.

Based on his complaint, Magudanchavadi police reached the spot and held inquiries.

A case has been registered and a search is on for the culprits.