Golden run of ‘cop’ ends behind bars

CHENNAI:  A 40-year-old man who posed as a police personnel and relieved people of gold jewellery was arrested in Kancheepuram district on Tuesday. The accused was identified as S Sivaraman, a resident of Cuddalore. He had allegedly lied to his family for 10 years that he was working as a private company employee in Kancheepuram district when in fact he had no job.

“About a month ago, a 32-year-old woman was relieved of 10 sovereigns. Sivaraman had blocked the woman who was travelling on a two-wheeler and informed her that he was a police personnel in plain clothes and that the SI was arriving at the spot for a vehicle check,” said the police officer.

He claimed that the police officer would demand money if he saw the gold jewellery. “He asked her to give him the jewellery, which he promptly wrapped in a newspaper, and promised to give her back once the officer had left. However, Sivaraman escaped with the jewellery and the woman lodged a complaint,” said a police officer.

Earlier, he had conned a man who was returning from a jewellery shop near Otteri. Based on the complaints, Otteri police registered a case and arrested Sivaraman on Tuesday after sifting through CCTV footage. He was later remanded in judicial custody.