A man who drove away the car on the pretext of taking a trial run before buying was arrested by Horana Police.
A software engineer in Horana had advertised his car for sale and a person who had come to buy the Rs 3.3 million car had taken it away on the pretext of going on a trial run before buying it. He was arrested at Weragama, Wadduwa after four days, Horana Headquarters Police said.
The suspect had been arrested after examining CCTV footage along the route.
On March 17, the suspect had come under the guise of buying the car and had said that he wanted to check it, and he had taken the car on to the Horana – Kananwila road, taking the software engineer in the car as well. He had stopped the car near the cemetery and stated that there was a fault with the engine. According to the Police, the person had slammed on the brakes all of a sudden and halted the car.
At that time, the suspect had opened the bonnet of the car and the owner of the car had opened the passenger seat door and got out of the car and gone towards the engine. The Police said that the suspect who was in the driver’s seat had turned the car towards him suddenly and at the same time driven away at high speed.
According to a complaint received by the Horana Police, nearly 20 CCTV footage from Horana – Kananwila to Wadduwa were examined and the route taken by the suspect in the car had been identified.
Police said that the suspect was arrested at his home along with the car.
Investigations had revealed that the suspect repairs cars for a living and had not been caught by the Police for any theft prior to this incident.
The suspect is to be produced before the Horana Magistrate Court.
Chief Inspector Lakshman De Silva, Inspectors Kumara, Osanda, Srimal and PC Prabhath are conducting investigations.
Bimal Jayasinghe