Udupi: Hiriyadka police have arrested a 45-year-old home nurse for allegedly stealing a gold chain from a woman’s house in Kukkehalli village and recovered the jewellery, valued at Rs 1.85 lakh, along with the motorcycle allegedly used in the offence.

The accused has been identified as Umesh Shetty (45), a resident of Subramanya Nagar in Puttur village, Udupi district. He was arrested on October 23 following an investigation into the theft reported on September 13.

According to the police, the case was registered following a complaint by Bobby Handti, a resident of Badapalu in Kukkehalli village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Hiriyadka police station.

Accused allegedly took advantage of woman’s grief

According to the complaint, a man visited Bobby Handti’s house on the morning of September 13 and claimed to have information regarding the death of her son, Dinesh.

The man allegedly told her that insurance officials would visit the following day and assured her that he would help her obtain a higher insurance payout. He reportedly spoke to her about the matter and attempted to gain her confidence by offering assistance with the insurance process.

Later that afternoon, Bobby Handti removed a gold chain weighing approximately two sovereigns from her neck and placed it on a table inside the house.

The man allegedly returned to the house and spoke to her sympathetically, offering consolation over her loss. When she went out to the garden, he allegedly took the gold chain from the table and fled.

The woman subsequently approached the police and lodged a complaint regarding the missing jewellery.

CCTV footage helps police trace accused

Following the complaint, Hiriyadka police registered a case and launched an investigation to identify the person responsible for the theft.

As part of the investigation, the police examined around 50 to 60 CCTV footage recordings and employed technical methods to trace the suspect.

The investigation eventually led the police to Umesh Shetty, who was taken into custody near his residence on October 23.

The recovery of the jewellery and the motorcycle allegedly used in the offence formed part of the subsequent police action.

Gold jewellery worth Rs 1.85 lakh recovered

The police recovered 15 grams of gold jewellery valued at Rs 1.85 lakh, along with the motorcycle allegedly used by the accused during the offence.

After his arrest, Umesh Shetty was produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

The recovery of the jewellery marks a significant development in the investigation into the reported theft. The allegations against the accused remain subject to the legal process.

Police team conducts operation

The operation was conducted under the leadership of Udupi sub-division Deputy Superintendent of Police Belliyappa and Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna.

Hiriyadka Sub-Inspector Puneeth Kumar and police personnel Praveen Rai, Praveen Shetty, Ramesh Herga, Krishna Poojari and Mahantesh were part of the team involved in the operation.

The police used CCTV footage and technical investigation methods to trace the accused and recover the stolen property.

The case highlights the importance of promptly reporting thefts and providing investigators with relevant information that may help establish the sequence of events and identify suspects.