In a daylight robbery, a three-member on Thursday waylaid the employee of a parcel service agency at Peelamedu on the busy Avinashi Road and rook away jewellery worth ₹97 lakh which he was taking to Coimbatore International Airport to be sent as air cargo.
The stolen consignment included 5.750 kg of gold jewellery, 124 carat diamonds and 1,400 gm of silverware.
The police said that Prithvi Shah (26), the employee of the parcel service agency based at Mill Road near R.S. Puram, was robbed of the consignment of jewellery. The incident took place around 6 a.m. between the Peelamedu police station and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International School of Textiles and Management.
According to the police, Mr. Shah was taking the parcel of jewellery to the airport which was scheduled to be sent to Bombay as air cargo on a flight from Coimbatore airport. As Mr. Shah crossed the textile institute, three men wearing helmets came in a two-wheeler and waylaid him. The trio got out of the two-wheeler and forcibly took out the parcel from Mr. Shah after overpowering him. They also sprayed chilly powder into Mr. Shah's eyes before managing to escape from the place. He suffered minor injuries.
The police said that the highway had less vehicular movement at the time of the incident and the robbers managed to escape. They found a footwear and a knife from the place of the robbery.
P. Perumal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said that five special teams have been formed to trace and nab the accused involved in the robbery. The stolen consignment of jewellery were handed over to the parcel agency by 15 clients to be sent as air cargo.
M. Somasundaram, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime – South) said that visuals from various surveillance cameras were being examined to trace the accused. The police also questioned Mr. Shah in detail.