Seven luxury cars were stolen from an automobile company’s godown at Manapakkam on Wednesday morning. The police were able to recover five of the vehicles within hours.
According to police sources, a gang of unidentified persons targeted the new yard maintained by Hyundai Motor India Limited in Ambedkar Nagar, Manapakkam. The gang members gagged the security guard, Manoharan (54) and escaped with the seven Hyundai Creta cars around 4 a.m. After Manoharan raised an alarm, residents rushed to the spot, freed him and informed the Nandambakkam police. A case was subsequently registered and a search for the stolen cars was conducted.
The policemen on duty alerted all check-posts in Tirvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore and Villupuram districts and footage from several CCTV cameras was closely monitored.
A patrolling party located five abandoned cars on Gangai Amman Koil Street in Valsaravakkam, following which police officers reached the spot and recovered the vehicles. The police have sought the footage from CCTV cameras in the neighbouring areas and special teams have been formed to trace the remaining cars and the persons involved in this crime. Each car costs approximately Rs. 10.62 lakh.
A spokesperson from Hyundai Motor India Limited acknowledged the prompt response by the police. “Hyundai Motor India is in the process of strengthening the security system at the yard,” the firm said.
“The company had shifted its yard from Rayala Nagar in Ramapuram to the current location recently and we are investigating if some people familiar with the process were involved,” said a senior police officer.
The gang members gagged the security guard and escaped with the cars in Manapakkam
