Pawnshop owner who fled with customers’ gold jewellery nabbed

A pawnshop owner, who had gone missing with 328 grams of golden jewellery pledged by customers successful Koyambedu, has been arrested.

According to police, Jayachandran, 52, a backstage institution worker residing successful Azhwarthirunagar, had pledged jewellery astatine a long-established pawnshop connected Anna Salai, Periyar Nagar, and Azhwarthirunagar.

Between May and July, helium pledged 2 golden chains and 2 golden rings, weighing astir 46 grams successful total, and received ₹95,000 arsenic a loan.

When Jayachandran went to the store connected August 14 to redeem his pledged jewellery, helium recovered it closed. Attempts to interaction the store owner, Sunil, connected his mobile telephone failed arsenic the fig was switched off. Jayachandran subsequently lodged a ailment astatine the Koyambedu Police Station (Crime Wing), pursuing which the constabulary registered a lawsuit and launched an investigation.

Police arrested Sunil, 25, who had been moving the pawnshop aft his father’s demise. Investigation revealed that Sunil had absconded with astir 328 grams of golden jewellery pledged by respective customers, including Jayachandran.

Sources said helium had re-pledged the jewellery that helium had collected from customers astatine different pawnshop and sold immoderate of it. When customers began approaching him to redeem their jewellery, helium panicked and fled to Rajasthan, the constabulary said.