CHENNAI: A neatly dressed man pretending to be a valet at Marina Beach escaped with a car on May 12.
The Anna Square crime wing police have registered a case and launched a hunt for the suspect.
Police said one Sumithra Thangadurai, a native of Kanyakumari, and her uncle Selvakumar, visited the Marina beach in their Innova car (TN85-3501).
Sumithra had leased her vehicle to Ravi Travels in KK Nagar, and was getting rent from the travel firm. After arriving in Chennai, they went to KK Nagar and took their vehicle before heading to the Marina.
Police personnel at the new golden jubilee arch near Ezhilagam on Kamarajar Salai diverted their vehicle from heading towards MGR Mausoleum. Selvakumar drove towards the Marina swimming pool.
After seeing many cars parked on the roadside, Selvakumar was trying to park the vehicle behind a bus when the conman appeared and politely asked for the car key so that he could park it at a safe location.
Believing his words, Selvakumar handed over the car key and got off. He and Sumithra walked a few steps towards the beach. After some 30 minutes, they returned and tried to find the valet. They were surprised to see their car and the man missing. Selvakumar later inquired a corporation staff about the ‘suspect’. After realising that the conman had scooted away with the vehicle, Sumithra filed a police complaint at the Anna Square crime wing. Inspector Renuka Devi, in charge of the Anna Square police station, is probing the case. Further investigations are on.
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