KOCHI: A masked gang allegedly stole Rs 80 lakh from a steel trading firm in Kundannoor on Wednesday after threatening the owner and staff with a gun and a sword, besides using pepper spray. Maradu police have nabbed one of the suspects, Saji, 28, a resident of Vaduthala. He was being interrogated under the supervision of senior officers, said a source with Kochi city police.
According to the police, the victim -- Subin Thomas, a resident of Thoppumpady and owner of National Steels -- had financial dealings with money exchange groups and had recently entered into a financial arrangement with a person named Jishnu, a resident of Kollam.
Through Jishnu, he met Saji who later introduced him to Vishnu and Joji, both reportedly part of a Kochi-based ‘money-doubling’ racket. Vishnu and Joji, both from Ernakulam, are believed to be the masterminds behind the attack, the police source said.
The duo arrived at the steel firm along with Saji to collect the money. The deal promised a return of H1.2 crore for H80 lakh. As the cash was being counted, a three-member masked gang stormed into the office around 3 pm, armed with a gun and a sword.
“When employees tried to intervene, the gang reportedly threatened them at gunpoint as well. Amid the chaos, Vishnu and Joji managed to escape and the gang fled in a car,” said an officer with Maradu police.
Though the steel firm had installed CCTV cameras, they had been non-functional for the past two months, the officer said. The probe team is collecting footage from establishments nearby to trace the suspects’ movements, he added.