Neighbour of Valapattanam theft victim arrested, Rs 1 crore and 300 sovereign gold recovered
Police arrest Lijeesh, a neighbour of the victim, in connection with the Valapattanam house robbery, recovering cash and gold from his residence, after a police investigation.
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FollowKannur: Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the Valapattanam house robbery. The arrested individual, Lijeesh, a welding worker and neighbour of the house owner Ashraf, where the the burglary took place, was taken into custody after cash and gold were recovered from his residence. The robbery, which took place on November 20 at Ashraf’s home, a rice merchant, where one crore rupees and 300 sovereigns of gold were stolen after the locker in the bedroom was broken into.
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Following the robbery, the police conducted an investigation based on clues gathered during their inspection, leading them to the suspect.
The breakthrough in the case came after a police investigation, which followed initial clues gathered during the examination of the crime scene. A police dog tracked a scent that led to Lijeesh's house, prompting authorities to observe Ashraf's neighbor. Suspicion had arisen early on that the robbery was committed by someone familiar with Ashraf and his property, and Lijeesh's arrest confirmed this theory.
Police confirms Lijeesh's involvement in past thefts
Police have revealed that Lijeesh had committed thefts in the past as they have found his involvement in a theft in Kannur's Keecheri last year. Though the culprit was not apprehended at the time, the police have now linked him to both crimes through matching fingerprints found at the scenes. The fingerprints from the Keecheri and Valapattanam robberies were identical, confirming Lijeesh's involvement in both cases. Visuals of Lijeesh committing the theft have also been released by the police.
Lijeesh, who had returned from the Gulf just three months ago, broke into Ashraf's house through a window. The method was similar to a theft he had committed in Keecheri last year, where he stole Rs 4.5 lakh and 11.5 sovereigns of gold by breaking a window grill. In the Keecheri case, the culprit had eluded capture.Â
Locals have been shocked by Lijeesh's arrest, as he was known as a harmless individual who avoided conflicts. Many expressed surprise, noting that those who knew him closely might have been more aware of his true nature.
Lijeesh had hidden the stolen gold and cash in a specially constructed compartment under his bed. He even confessed to the police that he returned to Ashraf's house the day after the robbery to retrieve the remaining stolen items. Following his arrest, the Valapattanam police celebrated by distributing sweets, and both the police and locals expressed relief that the culprit had been caught, with the stolen items recovered.
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