KOCHI: Manu, a native of Vallarpadam, was admitted to the private hospital after suffering severe injury in a bike accident.
“Sharook of Mattanchery who was a friend of Manu visited the hospital. When the bystander was not present, the accused robbed 2 sovereign gold from the patient who was unconscious then,” N S Roy, Sub Inspector, Ernakulam South police station, said.
After receiving a complaint from the relatives of the patient, the police checked CCTV cameras installed at the hospital from which the accused person could be identified.
“Sharook was taken into custody from Mattanchery on Thursday morning. During the interrogation, the accused confessed the crime. He was involved in several cases registered in different police stations in Kochi,” Roy said.
However, the police denied one single gang was behind the thefts at hospitals. According to cops, patients and bystanders are easy targets for robbers.
“The thieves know patients and bystanders will be having money in their purse or bag to meet the daily expenses. This is the reason behind the spurt in the number of theft cases from hospitals,” an officer said.