150 sovereigns stolen from mill owner’s house

Chennai: Burglars broke into the house of a rice mill owner at a village near Tirukazhukundram, 70 km off Chennai, and escaped with 150 sovereigns of gold jewellery, 3 kg of silver articles, Rs 3 lakh cash and other valuables. The burglars also escaped with at least 18 costly silk sarees, police sources said.The burglary came to light on Friday evening when the occupants of the house returned to their home at Agatheeswararmangalam from their native place, Sivakasi.

The house owner, Durai Pandian (56), had left the house with his family Tuesday to attend a family function at his native place. On his return on Friday, Durai Pandian was shocked to see his house in disarray and checked to find that the back door of the house was broken open.The Tirukazhukundram police were alerted and they rushed to the spot accompanied by sniffer dogs and forensic staff.

The police suspect that the burglars spent a good time at the house as suggested by preliminary evidence.“They seemed to have used the milk kept in the fridge and made tea. They also ate mangoes,” said a police officer.They gained entry into the compound by climbing on to the trees outside and jumping inside the premises. The Tirukazhukundram police have registered a case and are investigating.