Kerala police arrest man for stealing Rs 1 cr, 267 units gold from trader’s home

Kerala police arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the theft of over Rs 1 crore and 267 sovereigns of gold from a trader’s residence in Kannur district.
The accused, Lijeesh, a Gulf returnee and welder, was apprehended on Saturday by a special investigation team formed to probe the robbery, which took place around two weeks ago. Lijeesh was arrested on Monday after he confessed to the crime during interrogation on Sunday evening.
The theft occurred at the residence of Ashraf, a rice trader from Valapattanam, while he and his family were away attending a wedding in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on November 19. When they returned on November 24, they discovered the robbery. Lijeesh, who lived nearby, broke into the house by smashing a window. He stole Rs 1.21 crore in cash and 267 sovereigns of gold, which were later recovered from a hidden compartment beneath his cot. The police revealed that Lijeesh had created a secret compartment under his bed, where he stored the stolen goods.
The breakthrough in the case came through CCTV footage and fingerprint evidence. The footage showed a bald-headed man, later identified as Lijeesh, returning to the house the day after the theft, raising suspicions that the thief was someone familiar with the family.
CCTV cameras also captured him attempting to cut the camera, but instead, the repositioned camera provided a clear view of a room inside the house, which ultimately led to his identification. During the investigation, Lijeesh was also found to have left behind a tool during the burglary, which he later returned to retrieve, but was unsuccessful in doing so. The tool was recovered during the investigation.
Further scrutiny of Lijeesh’s fingerprints revealed a match with evidence from a previous unsolved theft in Keecheri, also in Kannur, that occurred a year ago. The police were able to link him to the earlier crime, which further solidified their case.