KOTHAMANGALAM: One out of the lottery tickets stolen had won the draw. The thief who came to cash the prize was arrested. The accused has been identified as Urumbil Babu of 12th mile in Pala. He had stolen 2520 lottery tickets from breaking open a lottery shop in Kothamangalam.
He stole lotteries worth Rs 80,000 from J J Lotteries on November 12. The numbers of the stolen tickets were given everywhere with the help of lottery agencies’ association. One of the tickets Babu stole had won a cash prize of Rs 5,000.
On hearing about the win, Babu reached a lottery agency in Pala. When Babu gave the lottery, out of suspicion, the shop owner checked the ticket number on his phone.
When Babu realised that the shop owner had figured out his crime, he immediately snatched the ticket from him and fled. Soon, the lottery agent informed the Kothamangalam police. When the police were in search of him, Babu was accused of cable theft and he was arrested by the Kanjirapally police. He is an accused in almost than 30 cases, said the police.