Airports alerted about absconding jewel thief aide

Chennai: A day after a Colombian national was arrested for attempting to steal from a jeweller at a luxury hotel on Anna Salai, the police have launched a hunt for his absconding aide. Initial investigations have revealed that the other person is a Spainiard and the airport and immigration authorities have been alerted, the Teynampet police said. Jose Roseburg (35) was caught red-handed attempting to steal an exhibit jewellery, worth Rs80 lakh, from Anna Nagar-based jeweller, Vinoth Kumar, while he was leaving Hyatt Regency hotel on Anna Salai on Sunday night.

“Jose initially maintained that he committed no wrong and that he was being framed. However, it was soon clear that he was not a guest at the hotel and he reached the city only on Saturday from Hyderabad,” an investigating officer said, adding that the Colombian spilled the beans after a few rounds of investigations.

Jose and his aide had come to the country in May this year. “Jose claims that he knows the other person only as Jimmy. However, we are not sure if it’s his actual name,” Teynampet inspector (crime), Mr Prakash, said. Based on preliminary investigations, the cops have found out that the duo got acquainted in Nepal. “We have sent a look-out notice to all airports and also alerted hotels in the city,” the inspector added.

The CCTV footages of the incident did not provide a clear picture of Jimmy and the cops have sought the hotel management to provide them with the day’s CCTV footage.“We are yet to receive the footage from the hotel management,” said a senior police officer, adding that the local police were not alerted about the jewellery expo by the hotel in spite of the station being located only a few metres from the hotel. The crime records bureau and the Colombian embassy were also alerted to verify Jose’s antecedents.