(MENAFN- Live Mint) Kerala robbery case: The Kerala Police on Monday finally managed to unravel the Valapattanam theft case, in which ₹1 crore cash and 300 Gold sovereigns were stolen from the house of a trader in Kannur district. A neighbour has been arrested in connection with the robbery.
The police reportedly investigated 100 CCTV footage, 115 call recordings, and around 76 fingerprints to crack the case. The accused - 30-year-old Lijeesh - broke into his neighbour Ashraf's house when the latter was away, attending a wedding.
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Lijeesh, a welder working in the same Kerala locality as the trader, was found to have the stolen cash and ornaments in his possession. The items were recovered from under a cot at Lijeesh's house, reported news wire PTI.
How did the robbery happen
Ashraf and his family had left for Madurai on November 19
and returned on November 24 to discover a broken locker, with the valuables missing. The family then lodged a complaint with the police.
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Police suspected that Lijeesh put his welding skills to use and broke into Ashraf's house by gas-cutting the iron grill of the kitchen window.
CCTV gives crucial clue
According to a report by Malayala Manorama, the CCTV footage served as the most crucial clue to cracking the robbery. The footage captured visuals of a bald man, later identified as Lijeesh.“Lijeesh accidentally tilted one of the CCTV cameras, which ended up recording him inside the house,” said a police officer investigating the case, reported Manorama.
The theft, executed on November 20, lasted approximately 20 minutes. Lijeesh wore a mask, carried a bag, and avoided most CCTV cameras. The police also stated that other tools, including a chisel found inside the accused's house, further led to the discovery.
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Moreover, Lijeesh's fingerprints also matched records from a previous housebreaking case in Keecheri in the same district. He was interrogated on Saturday evening, during which he confessed to the robbery , stated officials.
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