Hyderabad: Pepper spray is usually used (by women) to protect oneself from danger. But this 20-year-old courier delivery person used it to steal a gold chain from his customer in Hyderabad.

Shaik Mahaboob Basha, a native of Andhra Pradesh, was in charge of delivering Ayurvedic medicines to a 38-year-old Miyapur resident B Adhinarayana.

On July 31, he rang her doorbell. Basha asked Adhinarayana if she was alone at home, to which she replied in the affirmative.

He sprayed the cab on her face, snatched her gold mangalsutra weighing about four tolas and escaped with the delivery, leaving her injured and shocked.

A case was registered at the Miyapur Police Station, which, through CCTV (closed circuit television) footage, traced Basha in Kanigiri, his native village located in Prakasham district.

Basha also has two criminal cases registered at the Kanigiri Police Station.

Police recovered the gold chain and the Ayurvedic medicines meant for delivery. A case has been registered.

The Hyderabad Police cautions its citizens not to open doors to unknown persons claiming to be courier or delivery agents without proper verification.