The 28-year-old law student from Tamil Nadu reportedly broke into 25 homes (Representational Image)
Police in Kerala arrested a man from Tamil Nadu who had come to be known as the "naked thief". The man, identified as 28-year-old Edwin Jose, would strip down, slather himself in black paint and break into homes on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. He would often wear his underwear over his head as a way to keep his identity hidden.
The Hindu reports that the man is believed to have broken into over 25 homes in Neyyattinkara, Parassala and neighbouring areas. He reportedly staked out his targets while driving around on stolen motorcycles. "The bikes keep changing as he steals one vehicle for the night, leaves it there and steals another one to escape getting caught," a senior police officer told
The News Minute.
He would arm himself with a wire cutter and break into homes through the rear doors - often stealing cash and jewellery laying around the house, say police.
"Cutting tools were used to take gold chains from sleeping women. In case they woke up and made a noise, he would attack them and flee into the darkness outside. His exploits gave sleepless nights to people residing in villages located close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border," a police officer told
The New Indian Express.
Some panicked residents even formed vigilante groups to take him down. In a number of instances, innocent people that drew locals' suspicions were beaten up, say police.
The accused was eventually identified by CCTV footage taken from a home he broke into in Kerala's Nedumangad.
The News Minute reports the thief, a law student, has been remanded to judicial custody. He has previously been accused of theft.
In March,
a thief robbed a mobile phone store in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari using a transparent polythene bag to 'cover' his face. He was arrested hours later - his face clearly visible and caught on CCTV. Click for more
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