Couple turn partners in crime, nabbed for thefts

Chennai: The Chennai city police on Wednesday arrested a man and his wife in connection with a series of day time house-breaks they had committed over a period of time and recovered from them 210 sovereigns of gold ornaments, 10 kg silver, 3 two-wheelers, 11 cameras and Rs 25,000. Police said the two were involved in the theft of 400 sovereigns of gold and silver worth Rs 75 lakh.

This is the first time the city police has arrested a couple for thefts in the recent history. Karnaprabhu, 30, a native of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and resident of Ramavaram, and his wife Soumya were caught during an early morning vehicle check by police team from Saidapet police station. According to the police, the couple were found carrying drilling machine, battery and screwdrivers in their bag while travelling on a bike. When questioned the two started giving contradictory statements following which the duo was taken to the station for a detailed enquiry.

During the enquiry it was revealed that the two got married 10 years ago following a love affair. They met at Iskcon temple and fell in love. Soumya hails from Chennai. Initially, the two were engaged in door-to- door selling of scented agarbathis. “In 2010 when they went to a house in T Nagar to market the scented sticks they found the door of the house opened with no inmates. At that time they went inside and took a bag from there. It contained gold and cash in it,” the police said. Since then they have been doing the burglaries in the locked houses at day.

They were staying in rented house and the house owner and neighbours believed that they were into the agarbathi selling. They usually leave their son, class IV student, at private school in the morning and complete their burglary by 2 pm. Later they pick up the boy and return home. They never operated in the night because they did not want to leave the boy home alone. Usually Karnaprabu would break open the door with drilling machine and other tools while Soumya waited outside with a mobile phone. If there is any kind of distress she would alert him over mobile phone.

The police said they were looking for the couple involved in theft because they had video of a man and woman committing the offence from at least two crime scenes, including one in Ashok Nagar. The police believe the two were involved in at least 22 house breaks in the city.

When questioned they initially denied but when fingerprints tallied, they confessed the crime. A search at their house resulted in recovery of all the valuables as they have not sold major portion of the loot. “We have to recover nearly 190 sovereigns pledged by them. They had kept receipts for all the pledged ornaments. They never flaunted the ‘wealth’ and always traveled in two-wheelers and resisted from buying big properties,” police added.