Rs 23 Lakh Trading Company Burglary: CCTV Shows Thieves Wearing PPE Kit

Police have arrested two men in connection with a Rs 23 lakh burglary that shocked Kerala's Kollam city earlier this year. The accused had allegedly broken into a trading company wearing PPE kits, forced open a locker, stolen cash and fled the state before being tracked down after a lengthy investigation spanning parts of Tamil Nadu.

The arrests were made in connection with the theft at Staines Trading Company on District Hospital Road in Kollam. The accused have been identified as Sajil and Ananthu Ravi, both natives of Iravipuram.

According to police, the burglary took place in the early hours of April 26. The accused allegedly entered the establishment after breaking open a rear shutter, forced open a locker and stole Rs 20 lakh kept inside. They also took away another Rs 3 lakh from the billing counter, making off with a total of Rs 23 lakh.

Police said the duo damaged the CCTV system inside the premises in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence before fleeing.

Following the incident, a special investigation team was constituted on the instructions of the Kollam District Police Chief. Investigators examined hundreds of CCTV visuals from different locations before identifying the suspects. By then, however, the accused had already escaped to Tamil Nadu.

With assistance from Tamil Nadu Police, investigators traced the suspects to the Kudankulam region. Police said the duo initially managed to evade capture, prompting officers to continue surveillance based on intelligence inputs that they could return to Kollam.

Acting on a tip-off, police intensified monitoring and arrested both men from the Collectorate premises in Kollam on June 13.

Investigators said the prime accused, an ice cream vendor, was a regular visitor to the trading company and had closely observed its cash transactions. Police believe he later conspired with the second accused to execute the burglary.

The investigation further revealed that the accused allegedly used part of the stolen money to purchase cars and expensive mobile phones and were leading a lavish lifestyle in Bengaluru and Goa while on the run.

Police said both men have multiple criminal cases registered against them at police stations, including Kollam East, Kadakkal, Anchalummoodu and Neyyattinkara.

The accused were produced before a court and remanded after evidence collection procedures were completed, police said.