NBFC heist: ‘Mastermind to be nabbed soon’

CHENNAI: Two men were arrested on Sunday in connection with the Arumbakkam bank robbery case, Chennai city police commissioner Shankar Jiwal told media on Monday. Around 18 kg of gold, two four-wheelers, and one two-wheeler were recovered.

The arrested accused were identified as V Balaji (30) and M Santhosh (28). A hunt is on for two others — Murugan and Suryah. The whereabouts of the main suspect, the bank employee Murugan, was identified, a senior police officer told TNIE. 

Jiwal said, “Around 11 teams were formed to nab the culprits. One team traced the thieves’ escape route, the other monitored those with whom Murugan was in regular contact, another monitored CCTV footage.” In two or three days, the other suspects will be nabbed and the remaining 13.7 kg of gold will be seized, he added. 

This comes after three masked men broke into Fedbank Financial Services Limited — a subsidiary of Federal Bank — on Razack Garden Main Road at SBI Officers Colony on Saturday afternoon. According to initial reports, branch manager K Suresh (30) from Dindigul was held at knifepoint and the locker key was forcibly taken from him. 

The trio then allegedly fled with 31.7 kilograms of jewellery worth nearly `15 crore and a few wads of money, police said. To avoid capture, the gang split into groups and went separate ways, the commissioner said. The arrested duo, Balaji and Santhosh, left Chennai but were captured on Sunday after returning to the city. “Investigation revealed that all four suspects lived in the same locality and attended the same school,” he explained.  On Sunday, the bank assured its customers there was no need to panic as the stolen jewellery was insured.