Posing as police personnel, three members of a gang who stole ₹ 3.5 crore from a car belonging to a jewellery shop owner at Perundurai in April were nabbed on Wednesday.

Anwar Sharad of Mallapuram district in Kerala has jewellery shops in Coimbatore and Chennai. On April 3, he handed over the money to his three employees at Parrys Corner in Chennai and asked them to take it to his home town by his car.

On April 4 around 4 p.m., when the car was crossing the toll gate at Vijayamangalam on the Salem–Cochin National Highway, members of a gang in two vehicles dressed as policemen intercepted the car. They told the employees that they wanted to inspect the car and handcuffed them. They then took away the car along with the money. The drivers were let off on the highway. Anwar Sharad lodged a complaint with the Perundurai police.

A special team nabbed the three persons near the toll gate. They were identified as Jothi Thomas, 39, Muralidaran, 35, and Aliyar, 48. Inquiries revealed that they were part of a 11-member gang.

Cash totalling ₹31 lakh, three cars and a two-wheeler were seized from them. The three accused were produced in the court and lodged at Coimbatore Central Prison on Wednesday. A search is on for the other accused.