Thief steals omelet, beef and Rs 25,000 from hotel at midnight

In a bizarre burglary in Kerala, police on Wednesday apprehended a man who broke into a hotel near Palakkad last month, helped himself to a meal, and vanished with ₹25,000 and other belongings.

The break-in occurred late on May 22 at a modest eatery in Chandranagar, a suburb on Palakkad’s outskirts.

The accused, later identified as Shivakumar—a repeat offender from Marthandam near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in Thiruvananthapuram—gained entry by forcing open the rear entrance post-midnight.

Once inside, he headed straight to the kitchen. Surveillance footage showed him cracking eggs, lighting the stove, and preparing an omelette. Still hungry, he rummaged through the fridge and discovered raw beef, which he leisurely cooked and devoured. The entire feast lasted over an hour.

Not stopping at food, the man searched further and stumbled upon a purse believed to belong to the hotel owner, containing ₹25,000 in cash. Before escaping, he also took an offertory box from a nearby temple.

The next morning, staff were baffled to find the kitchen messy and meat partly used. CCTV footage confirmed the break-in and showed the man calmly treating the hotel like his own home.

A complaint was filed on May 23, and visuals were shared across police stations in nearby districts. On Wednesday, the thief was finally traced and arrested in Thrissur.

He will be presented before a magistrate in Palakkad, as authorities work to connect him to similar crimes.