Kannur: After a two-year hunt, the Kannur Police arrested a notorious thief, Dharvendra Kumar (33), who stole silver from a local jewellery two years ago. Kumar, a native of Haryana, was apprehended by a four-member special squad from the Kannur District Police Chief at a bus stand in Khagaria, Bihar.

The investigation was launched following a theft of 7.5 kg of silver from a jewellery in Kannur in June 2022. The breakthrough came this year when the accused attempted to target the same jewellery again. CCTV footage and fingerprints from the scene led to Kumar's identification.

“During the investigation, we discovered his criminal history. In 2011, Vythiri Police arrested him on two charges when he was a minor, leading to his imprisonment in a juvenile home before being transferred to Kannur Central Prison at the age of 18. In addition, his contact details were found, including a new mobile number,” a police officer told Onmanorama.

Town CI Sreejith Koderi said Kumar stole silver as it is commonly used in his native region and was easier to sell. “Silver theft carries lighter legal consequences than gold theft, and jewellery shops often store silver outside of lockers, making it an easier target,” the CI said.

On September 5, the special squad from Kannur travelled more than 2,500 kilometres to capture Kumar. The team had to halt two days in Khagaria before taking Kumar into custody. “We waited in Khagaria, a town bordering Nepal, hoping he would return. Two days later, he returned to the Khagaria bus stand, where we apprehended him,” said an officer part of the team.

The special squad included Kannur Town SI M Ajayan, ASI C Ranjith, CPO K Nidheesh, and Kannapuram SI Rajeevan Kokkaadan.