Man arrested for befriending family, cheating them of gold jewellery

Anna Salai Police have arrested a 52-year-old man who befriended a family and allegedly cheated them of gold jewellery after taking them out on the pretext of a photo shoot.

Police said the complainant, Punithashri, 22, lives with her family at Karuda Azhwar Nagar in Tiruvannamalai district. The accused Jagadish, who lived in the portion below her house with his wife and daughter as tenants, had developed a close rapport with the family.

On June 16, 2025, Jagadish allegedly suggested that they travel to Chennai for a photo shoot and took Punithashri, her younger brother and a 16-year-old girl with him in a car. Punithashri had kept in a shoulder bag two gold bangles, a chain, a ring and earrings weighing about 16 sovereigns, along with two mobile phones and ₹1,000 in cash.

Police said Jagadish took them to a clothing shop in a commercial complex at Royapettah and asked Punithashri and her brother to try on new clothes he had selected in the trial room. He took custody of the bag containing the jewellery while they went into the trial room. When they came out, Jagadish and the minor girl had fled with the bag.

Based on Punithashri’s complaint, the Crime Wing of Anna Salai Police Station registered a cheating case and began an investigation. On investigation, the police arrested Jagadish, a native of Coimbatore district, on Wednesday. Police also questioned the 16-year-old girl connected to the case and recovered the stolen jewellery, including bangles, a chain, earrings and a ring weighing 16 sovereigns.

Investigations revealed that Jagadish and the minor had allegedly used a similar modus operandi in areas such as Shastri Nagar and Velachery, befriending families, gaining their trust and cheating them of gold jewellery and mobile phones, which they later sold.

Jagadees was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody. The minor girl was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and lodged in a Government Observation Home.