Tiruvallur district police have arrested three persons on charges of cheating several car owners after promising them a high rent for their vehicles.
The police said the three met owners of high-end cars in Uthukottai and told them that they required their cars for film production units and private firms in their area. As they promised to give ₹3,000 a day, the owners gave their cars to them. A few car owners received the rent as promised while many did not. Soon, the three went missing along with the cars.
Car owners lodged complaints with the the Pennalurpettai and Uthukottai police. Special teams were formed to trace the culprits.
On Sunday, Uthukottai police arrested three persons — Praveen George, 29, Bharath, 23, and Venkatesan, 36, — and recovered 19 cars estimated at ₹1.5 crore from them. The three reportedly pledged the cars with pawn brokers and made money, according to the preliminary investigation by the police.