THRISSUR: Just over 48 hours after the heist at the Federal Bank branch in Potta, Chalakudy, Thrissur Rural police on Sunday arrested a suspect. Rijo Antony, from Asharippara, Chalakudy, looted the bank to resolve his financial problems brought on by his exuberant lifestyle, SP B Krishnakumar told reporters.
He said the suspect had been planning the robbery for several months, observing the daily functioning of the bank, staff timings and patterns. On Friday afternoon, the suspect came in a two-wheeler, threatened the bank staff using a kitchen knife, and made away with Rs 15 lakh.
According to the SP, Rijo’s wife works as a nurse in Kuwait. “Hailing from Velur, in Thrissur district, the family had moved to Chalakudy two years back. Rijo’s wife regularly used to send him money as savings and to meet his expenses. But, Rijo splurged it all on friends and parties without her knowledge. Rijo plotted to rob the bank to make up for what he had wasted after his wife informed him of her plan to return home in March,” the officer said.
Police collected hundreds of CCTV visuals and details of mobile towers around the bank as part of their investigation. Officers realised that the number plate on the two-wheeler used by the suspect was fake.