Mangaluru: The investigation into the daring robbery targeting a jewellery trader near Baikampady has gathered fresh momentum after police recovered the trader’s stolen car from Benjanapadavu within the limits of Bantwal police station. The vehicle, which was abandoned by the accused after the crime, has provided investigators with new leads, even as efforts continue to trace the robbers responsible for stealing gold ornaments, cash and a mobile phone.
The robbery took place in the early hours of Monday when a gang travelling in three cars intercepted the jewellery trader’s vehicle near Baikampady at around 2.30 am. The accused fled with the trader’s car containing around 180 grams of gold ornaments, cash and a mobile phone before abandoning the vehicle several kilometres away.
Stolen car recovered in Bantwal
The recovery of the stolen vehicle marks an important development in the investigation. According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, the accused left the car at Benjanapadavu after carrying out a thorough search of its interior.
Police found that the seat covers had been ripped apart, indicating that the robbers believed valuables or additional gold might have been hidden inside the seats. Investigators suspect the gang spent considerable time examining the vehicle before abandoning it when they failed to locate any further valuables.
Forensic experts are expected to examine the recovered vehicle for fingerprints, DNA samples and other evidence that could help identify those involved in the crime.
Mobile phone yet to be traced
While the stolen vehicle has been recovered, the trader’s mobile phone remains missing.
Police said the phone has been switched off since the robbery, leading investigators to suspect that it may have either been destroyed or discarded by the accused to prevent tracking. Officials are now relying on mobile tower dump analysis and technical surveillance to identify the movement of the suspects and establish possible locations where the phone may have been switched off.
Investigators believe digital evidence could play a crucial role in identifying the gang, especially if conventional evidence proves insufficient.
Multiple escape routes under scanner
The investigation has expanded across several possible escape routes used by the accused after committing the robbery.
Police suspect that all three vehicles involved in the crime travelled together both before and after the incident. Investigators are examining the possibility that the gang escaped through one of several major routes leading out of Mangaluru.
Among the routes under scrutiny are the national highway towards Bengaluru, the Kodagu stretch, the Kerala highway via Talapady, and the Dharmasthala route leading towards Chikkamagaluru.
To verify these possibilities, police teams are collecting CCTV footage from toll plazas, major road junctions and surveillance cameras installed along these corridors. Officials, however, admitted that the investigation could become more challenging if the accused chose interior roads to avoid toll plazas and surveillance systems.
The robbers are believed to have worn masks throughout the crime and while escaping, making visual identification through CCTV footage more difficult.
Police verify vehicles used in robbery
Investigators are also examining the three cars allegedly used by the gang during the robbery.
Police are verifying whether the vehicles had been rented legally, stolen specifically for the crime, or obtained through other means. Information is being collected from car rental agencies, second-hand vehicle dealers and other sources that could help establish the ownership history of the vehicles.
Officials are also checking records with the Regional Transport Office (RTO), as there is suspicion that the registration numbers displayed on the vehicles may have been fake or cloned to mislead investigators.
These enquiries are expected to help police identify the vehicles involved and establish links between the suspects and the crime.
Investigation continues on multiple fronts
Police teams are pursuing several lines of investigation simultaneously, combining CCTV analysis, mobile tower location data, forensic examination and intelligence gathering.
Night patrolling has also been intensified in the Baikampady and Panambur areas to reassure residents and prevent similar incidents. Authorities have expressed confidence that the accused will be identified and arrested soon as investigators continue to analyse technical evidence and other leads collected during the probe.
The robbery has raised concerns over the safety of traders transporting valuables during late-night hours. Investigators believe the gang may have carefully planned the crime and are working to determine whether the accused had prior knowledge of the trader’s movements.
With the stolen vehicle now recovered and forensic examination underway, police hope the latest breakthrough will help unravel the case and lead to the arrest of those responsible for one of the region’s recent high-profile highway robberies.