Chennai, July 21: In a theft that went wrong, a man who stole from multiple shops with help from two friends in Pallikaranai was nabbed after he fell asleep on the roadside near the scene of crime.

The accused was identified as Asif Ali (19) from Gandhi Road in Velachery. Police said that on Tuesday night Asif and his two of friends, broke into a mobile repair shop in Medavakkam and a bakery in Vivekananda Road in Pallikaranai. The gang escaped with Rs 30,000 worth valuables and Rs 1,000 in cash.

While the store owners realised about the burglary on Wednesday morning, the police had already nabbed the accused on suspicion, reported TOI.

Police said, "After committing the crime, an exhausted Ali curled up near the Medavakkam Koot Road. The patrol team that woke him up from slumber found out that Ali was not only high but was also weak. He was taken to the police station for an inquiry." Andhra Man Who Married 13 Women Arrested in Hyderabad

Later, when complaints from the store owners were filed, the police combed through CCTV footage and found out that the 'sleeping thief' was indeed the burglar. During the inquiries, he told police that his friends took him to steal at a shop, but he was already drunk and was feeling tired. Delhi Shocker: Landlord Arrested for Sexually Assaulting 10-Year-Old Minor Girl at Her House in Alipur

He said he just accompanied them but did not pick up anything. While his friends managed to escape with the booty, they left him to sleep on the road, as their efforts to wake him up did not work. He told the police that he was an unwilling participan

While Pallikaranai police arrested and remanded Ali in judicial custody, hunt is on for his absconding associates.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2022 04:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).