Thieves who stole gold in Valapattanam extremely skilled in technology, no one else can open that lock

KANNUR: A group of highly skilled thieves broke into the house of K.P. Ashraf, a rice merchant in Valapattanam and stole gold and diamond ornaments worth over 300 sovereigns and cash amounting to Rs 1 crore. The robbery, which showcased the burglars’ technical expertise, has left the police investigating multiple leads.

The thieves managed to open a highly secure locker, which required simultaneous operation of a key, a lever, and a secondary key. The locker, purchased from a Bengaluru-based company, was designed to be nearly impossible to open without knowledge of its unique mechanism. Investigators believe only someone familiar with this technology could have successfully accessed the locker.

The police have already visited the Bengaluru company to gather details about the locker’s technology and service personnel. They are also probing whether anyone connected to the company may have shared insider information about the system.

The robbery took place at Ashraf's 'Coral' house near the KSEB office in Valapattanam Manna while the family was away attending a wedding in Madurai. The theft is believed to have occurred between 8 pm on January 20 and 4 am on January 21. The family discovered the crime upon returning home at 9:15 pm on January 21.

The burglars gained entry by breaking the grill of a bedroom window at the back of the house. They proceeded to break open the cupboard to retrieve the key to the locker, which was stored in another shelf. Despite the locker being securely placed inside a wooden cupboard, the thieves opened it without causing any visible damage.

The police suspect the involvement of individuals with prior knowledge of the house and the security system. Fingerprints collected from the crime scene and 113 CCTV footage clips from the area are being analyzed. A police dog tracked the suspects to the Valapattanam railway station, suggesting they may have boarded a train to Mangaluru after the robbery.

Three individuals are under suspicion and the police have intensified their search efforts. The authorities are focusing on tracing connections between the suspects and the technology used in the locker, which could be a crucial lead in solving the case.