Mangaluru: Burglars broke into a locked house near Palah School at Kesinagar in Talapady gram and decamped with valuables, police said on Monday. The incident is believed to have occurred while the occupants were abroad, highlighting concerns over the safety of long-unoccupied houses in the area.
The house belongs to Abubakkar, who has been working in Saudi Arabia for the past 25 years and also owns a shop at Eliyar Padavu. According to sources, Abubakkar’s wife, son and daughter had locked the house and left for Saudi Arabia in August last year, leaving the premises unattended for several months.
Incident comes to light during cleaning
The burglary came to light on January 25 when the wife of Abubakkar’s brother visited the house to clean it. Upon entering the premises, she found the house ransacked, with cupboards broken open and household articles scattered across multiple rooms.
She immediately alerted family members, following which the matter was reported to the police. Preliminary inquiries suggest that the burglars may have taken advantage of the prolonged absence of the family to target the house.
Cupboards broken open, rooms ransacked
Police said miscreants broke open the main door to gain entry into the house. After entering, they forcibly opened three cupboards in rooms on the ground floor and one cupboard in a room on the first floor, totalling four cupboards.
Clothes and other household items were found strewn across the rooms, indicating that the burglars conducted a thorough search of the premises. The cupboards in the kitchen were also rummaged through, suggesting that the intruders were looking for valuables that could have been hidden in different parts of the house.
Gold ornaments kept in locker
Family members told the police that no gold ornaments were found in the house at the time of the burglary. They stated that the gold jewellery had been kept in a safe locker before the family left for Saudi Arabia.
As the burglars did not find any gold, they allegedly took away a valuable wristwatch and a mobile phone that had been kept inside one of the cupboards. The exact value of the stolen items is being ascertained.
Burglary suspected to be gold-focused
Police suspect that the house was specifically targeted in search of gold ornaments, a common motive in burglaries involving locked houses. After failing to locate gold jewellery, the miscreants are believed to have fled with other readily available valuables.
Investigators are also examining whether the burglars had prior information about the house being unoccupied for a long period. Neighbours are being questioned to determine if any suspicious movement was noticed in the area in recent days.
Case registered, probe under way
Abubakkar’s brother-in-law, Shekhabba, has lodged a complaint at the Ullal police station. Based on the complaint, police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
Officials said efforts are being made to identify the suspects by checking for fingerprints and reviewing CCTV footage from nearby houses and establishments. Police have also advised residents, especially those leaving their houses locked for extended periods, to inform local authorities or neighbours and ensure adequate security arrangements.
Conclusion
The burglary has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of locked houses, particularly those of families working abroad. Police reiterated the need for community vigilance and preventive measures to deter such crimes, assuring that all efforts are being made to trace the culprits and recover the stolen property.