Lovers held for theft, loot recovered

KOLKATA: A manager with a popular confectionery chain and his girlfriend have been arrested for allegedly committing a burglary at a Bhowanipore residence.
Surendra Patra and Sumitra Dey, who worked as a maid at the house, were nabbed on Tuesday afternoon. Almost the entire booty - 300gm gold (Rs 8.8 lakh in today's prices) and Rs 40,000 in cash - has been recovered from hideouts in Jaleshwar and Santragachi where they had stashed it.Police say the lovers planned to use the money to marry and start a new life.
Sumitra had been working for the family for two years. The complainant, Suranjan Ghosh, works with a private firm and his wife Tania is a teacher.
"On Tuesday, after the couple left their Mohini Mohan Road home, Sumitra removed the gold ornaments and cash between 9am and 12 noon and left the house. Tania returned home in the evening and discovered the theft," said an investigating officer.
Police said they could zero in on the suspects quickly through "source-based information and technical surveillance". "We came to know about Sumita's Jaleshwar address and raided the place along with the complainant. We recovered most of the stolen items here and found the rest in Surendra's hideout in Santragachi. A case of theft has been registered," said an officer of Bhowanipore police station.