Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (EP)

Bengaluru, Apr 4: Bommanahalli station police here arrested three notorious thieves of valuables who were involved in several thefts at churches.

Alex Alias Surya (29) from Ernakulum, Jayaprakash (35) from Madurai and Sujoy (35) from Kannur are the arrested thieves. The police have recovered a tempo traveller vehicle, 5 cars, 75 grams jewellery, and coins from Canada, England and America from them.

Alex, Jayaprakash and Sujoy 

‘Churches do not spend properly’

The suspects are being questioned. Alex who confessed that he has stolen valuables from Vailankani church, Tamil Nadu, said that churches which collect donations from the people and abroad do not spend it properly for the development of the community. “Therefore, I was stealing in churches”, he said.

“The three arrested suspects together were stealing vehicles and valuables in churches of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa. Accused Jayaprakash was recently caught trying to sell a stolen car on Hosur road. He was arrested on the basis of definite information. His accomplices Alex and Sujoy were arrested on the basis of information obtained from him”, said Additional Police Commissioner Hemanth Nimbalkar.

Alex was caught during house thefts when he was a child and was admitted in remand home. However he had indulged in thefts even after getting released from there. Alex had entered through the ventilator of the office toilet of Fr Prabhakar in Vailankani church at night on March 30 and had decamped with donations and jewellery in the donation box. Fr Prabhakar had complained about it to Nagapattanam police station. The picture of the suspect going out from the office was recorded in CCTV cameras. The police, who printed his picture, had circulated it in the nearby police stations. Police said that the suspect was not traceable despite all the efforts.

Alex had brought his friend suffering from cancer to Bengaluru in 2011 and after that he remained there and made stealing his profession.

Acquaintances in jail

These three suspects who had indulged in vehicle thefts in Bengaluru and outside the state were lodged in Parappana Agrahara jail. They developed friendship while in jail between August 2016 and November 2016 and continued to steal after being released on bail.

There are 15 theft cases against Alex, a seventh standard drop out. Sujoy and Jayaprakash too had stopped their education at primary school level. Police said that more than ten cases are pending against the two. They used to flee without appearing for court hearing after getting released on bail. Police said that Police in Goa will also be informed as cases of theft are pending against them there.