Kannur: A 58-year-old man, accused in 17 robbery cases, was arrested by Kannur town police here on Thursday. The arrested is Shajahan alias Byju, a native of Kanjirappally in Kottayam.
He was arrested during the probe into three recent robberies in Kannur. From the CCTV footage collected from the houses he broke into or attempted to rob, police got vital clues about the man.
Police inspector P A Binu Mohan, who arrested the thief, said the man had been living at Puthukkandam near Thaliparamaba for the past 20 years. Since 2006, he has been committing theft at houses mainly in Kannur district, said the officer.
"Four robberies and several attempted robbery cases have been registered against him at Kannur town stations alone. Other cases were reported at Mele Chovva, Thazhe Chovva, South Bazar and Thana in the town. Similar cases have also been registered at various stations in Kannur, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, and Mahe against him. We are checking whether there are more criminal cases slapped on him," said the police officer.
According to police, Shajahan would reach the house he targets in the evening and stay hidden on the premises till the wee hours the next day to commit the crime. After ensuring the family members are fast asleep, he would enter the house, wearing only his underwear, by breaking open the back door, grill on the windows or through the ventilator.
After the loot, he would change to a new dress. He wears a mask and takes extra caution to remove fingerprints, said the police.
