Mangalore: Foreigner Thief Caught After Hot Police Pursuit, Two Others Escape

Sunil Haleangady
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Jan 11: A thief who was making his getaway after looting a jewellery store in Ullal along with his accomplices was caught at Mulky near here on Thursday January 10, after an intense police pursuit.

Rather amusingly, the thief happened to be a foreigner, identified as Sanoos (48) from Georgia. While he was caught, his accomplices - another foreigner and a man from Kerala - managed to escape.

It is said that the two foreigners along with their accomplice from Kerala posed as customers and looted a couple of gold bangles and a bracelet from Rajdhani Jewellers at Thokkottu junction. They then escaped in their car towards Mulky via national highway.

Soon after the theft was discovered at the jewellery store, the police were alerted. Acting swiftly, the Ullal police informed Mulky police about a red car that was heading their way. A nakabandi was put in place immediately at Bappanadu.

Meanwhile, the thieves driving from Mulky to Kinnigoli ran into the waiting police, and at once turned around and sped away. The Mulky police immediately informed their Bajpe counterparts, and again a nakabandi was imposed at Kateel.

Finally, the car which had made a U-turn near Kinnigoli was found in an isolated spot at Kerekadu. With the help of the locals, one of the thieves, Sanoos, was caught while the other two managed to slip away.

In the car, the police found Sanoos' passport, burkha, condoms, ganja, cigarettes, fake gold bangles and a mobile phone. It is said that the police have obtained vital information from the data stored in the cell phone.

The owner of the jewellery store who arrived in Mulky told Daijiworld that the thieves stole two gold bangles and a bracelet, totally weighing 30 grams and estimated at Rs 1.20 lac.

Sanoos who was taken in police custody, and who had some difficulty in expressing himself due to language constraints, revealed that he had taken lodgings in a guest house at Kannur in Kerala. Also, information about immigration from Nepal was found on his passport.

ASP T R Jagannath visited the spot. Mulky police personnel ASI Vaman, Mohan, constables Madhava, Shailesh, Ravi, Pramod Poojar and Vijay Poojar were part of the operation. Mulky circle inspector Basheer Ahmed is investigating the case with the help of Ullal circle inspector Madan Gaonkar and sub-inspector Satish.

A case has been registered in the Mulky police station.

Mobile shop owner plays crucial role

Local mobile shop owner Abdul Rehman is said to have played a crucial role in helping the police catch the thief.

Abdul Rehman

Photo of accused clicked by Rehman

Rehman's mobile shop is located adjacent to Rajdhani Jewellers where the theft took place. At the time of the incident, he was at Pumpwell where he had to drop his wife. Meanwhile, an employee called him on his mobile phone and told him about the theft that had just taken place, and described the men as well as the car they had escaped in.

Incidentally, Rehman noticed a red car parked near Pumpwell and three men lingering at a shop nearby. On realizing that they were indeed the thieves, he went nearer and stealthily clicked their pictures on his mobile phone. He then not only informed the jewellery store owner but also the police.

The employees at the jewellery store at once came to the spot and began quizzing the accused, who reportedly pushed them and sped away in their car. Abdul Rehman too chased the car along with the other locals, till one of them Sanoos, was finally caught.

Rehman, a powerlifter spoke to media and said that if the police had immediately rushed to the spot at Pumpwell, the thieves could have been caught then and there. "Hopefully, the photo I clicked on my mobile phone will help in tracing the two absconding thieves," he said.