Attention diversion gang flees with valuables from car

Attention diversion gangs are adopting newer techniques, as they make away with valuables in cars by hoodwink the occupants.

A senior lawyer’s family members waiting in their Toyota Fortuner had a harrowing experience on NR Road on Thursday evening around 7.10. Senior lawyer Dr S Arumugham (75), in his complaint to the police stated that his son stopped his SUV on NR Road near Silver Jubilee Park and had gone to buy a computer accessory while he, his daughter-in-law and his two granddaughters, one of them a minor, were waiting in the SUV.

A man suddenly approached them, tapped on the car window and said oil was leaking from the vehicle. The family suspected something amiss and did not venture out of the car. Arumugham called his son, who told him it could be the car AC’s water dripping down. Moments later, another man came by and said oil was leaking (in Hindi) and that smoke was emanating from the car.

Arumugham and his family members then smelt some acidic fumes. They sensed something was burning and immediately got out of the car. By then, another car stopped on their car’s right-hand side briefly and sped away.

Arumugham’s son, on returning, found oil on the front grille but could not locate the leak or figure out from where the smoke came. He decided to take the car to a mechanic and drove back home, where he realised that his wife’s purse containing over Rs 1 lakh worth valuables and important documents including a mobile and keys had gone missing from the car. Arugmugham then shot off an e-mail to the police commissioner after which he approached the SJ Park police station and filed a complaint.