KOCHI: After burglars made off with gold worth Rs 45 lakh from a residence in Iruppachira, near Puthencruz, police officers feared that lack of evidence would push investigations to a dead end.
Within four days, however, the probe team apprehended a two-man gang involved in a string of heists at unoccupied houses. Examination of footage from approximately 125 CCTV cameras along the 50km stretch from Puthencruz to Aluva-Paravur Road, and information gathered about recently released thieves, helped officers solve the case.
One of the suspects, 28-year-old Baiju, from Kodungallur, who had been released from prison five months earlier, drew particular attention. He was placed under surveillance. Baiju and his accomplice, 26-year-old Nisar, from North Paravur, were eventually picked up from a lodge in Kodungallur. Officers also recovered around 47 sovereigns of gold – of the 69 sovereigns stolen – from the accused.
Ranjith R Nair’s house was burgled on the night of April 27. The two suspects broke in after confirming that the house was unoccupied. After failing to force open the front door, they accessed the second floor using a ladder.
The investigators, led by Ernakulam Rural police chief Vaibhav Saxena, narrowed down the location of the gang to a lodge in Kodungallur. Officers surrounded the lodge and carried out the arrests, recovering a scooter, weapons, and other items, including face masks in the process.
Officers said the gang used the scooter to scout for houses. “During the interrogation, it became clear that they had committed two other burglaries -- one successful -- the same day. The team is gathering more evidence,” said an officer.
Baiju has 16 cases registered against him in various police stations in the state, with 10 cases in the Ernakulam Rural district alone. Nisar has four cases against him. “We are examining details of other cases,” added the officer, who is part of the investigation team.
“The gang operated very professionally and was careful not to leave clues. However, a team under Puthencruz inspector Abbas Ali M collected the CCTV visuals. They also verified call details and the scientific probe that followed led to the arrests,” said Saxena.
DySP V A Nishad Mon; inspector Abbas Ali M; sub-inspectors Sridevi K S, Rajesh K K, G Sasidharan (Ramamangalam); assistant sub-inspectors Biju John, Suresh Kumar K K; senior civil police officers B Chandra Bose, Akhil P R, and K G Joseph (North Paravur) were part of the investigation team.