The police apprehended three persons, including two juveniles, who broke into mobile phone shops and made away with handsets and several gadgets.
On Friday morning, traders at Ritchie Street electronic hub were shocked to find three shops burgled and mobile phones and electronic items stolen. There were signs that the burglars had tried to strike at four other shops.
S. Murugan, 43, who runs a mobile phone shop on Wallers Road, lodged a complaint at Chintadripet police station that over 50 handsets were stolen from his shop. Mohammed Azaruddin and Syed, who also have shops on the same road, lodged a complaint that over 70 mobile phones were stolen from their shops.
On scrutiny of CCTV footage, the police found that three masked intruders broke into the shops after breaking open the locks with a crowbar in the early hours of Friday. They made away with mobile phones and other electronic items. After a search, the police nabbed G. Murugan, 19, and a 15-year-old boy and recovered 67 mobile phones, five smart watches and two bikes from them.
Similarly, another break-in was reported from a shop run by Imran Khan, 29, of Tondiarpet, at Sathya Bazaar in T. Nagar. Twenty mobile phones and other gadgets were stolen from his shop. This case was taken up by Mambalam police for investigation. The police picked up a 17-year-old juvenile for the offence.
The police said investigation revealed that G. Murugan and his juvenile associates, broke into the mobile phone shops. The group had stolen phones from shops in Velachery, Taramani and Elephant Gate police station limits. G. Murugan was lodged in prison while two juveniles were sent to special home for the boys, the police said.
