In a novel way of cheating, two unidentified persons diverted the attention of an advocate by claiming that the air pressure in one of the tyres was very less and robbed his car as he stopped his vehicle in the city on Saturday.
Police said that the victim, W. Sam Prabhakaran, an advocate practising in the district court, was driving his hatchback near Balamandiram School around 11.30 a.m. Two persons who were riding a motorcycle drew his attention to one of the tyres of the car, signalling that it did not have the required air pressure.
Believing their word, the advocate stopped his car to check the air pressure. Suddenly, one of them tried to drive away the car. But the advocate who realised that he was duped tried to stop him.
Meanwhile, both of them assaulted the advocate and drove away the car. The incident took place in broad daylight. Tallakulam police have booked a case of robbery and are investigating.
Woman duped
In another case of attention diversion, an aged woman, T. Esther, was cheated of three sovereigns of gold by two unidentified persons at Narimedu.
The woman was walking on Prasad Road around 2.15 p.m. Two persons riding a motorcycle approached her. Claiming that they were police personnel, they cautioned her against wearing gold jewellery while going out alone. They asked her to remove the jewels and keep them safe in a piece of paper. They also helped her do it. Later, the woman found a stone inside the paper and realised that she was duped.
Tallakulam police are investigating.
