Youth's arrest leads to solving of bike theft cases in Ernakulam district

KOCHI:  A youth, who frequently changed his hideouts to hoodwink the police after being booked for stealing articles worth Rs 6,000 two months ago, has finally landed in police net. Interestingly, with his arrest, the police have solved several bike theft cases as he confessed to his involvement in 20 cases including drug smuggling.

On September 23, Jeemon Sebastian (26) of Njarakkal, picked up stationary items worth Rs 6,000 from a shop at Thottukattukara in Aluva, claiming he needed them for the shooting of a film. When the shop owner demanded money, he refused to pay and roughed up the trader. 

Jeemon then took the articles and fled from the spot. The Aluva East police registered a case following a complaint lodged by the shop owner.  Later, the police constituted a special investigation team on the direction of Rural Police Chief K Karthick. 

"We launched an inquiry based on his mobile phone tower location. However, he would escape from the spot when police closed in on him. One time, his phone was located at Kasaragod. By the time the police team reached the spot, he moved south to Thiruvananthapuram. For the past two months he had been evading the police net like this," said an officer.

Finally, receiving a tip-off, the police team surrounded his hideout at Njarakkal and arrested him. During interrogation, he confessed that he had lifted three motorcycles from the Edappally toll area, one each from Aroor, Ernakulam North and Aluva.

He was riding a bike that he had stolen from Lissie Junction when he went to the Thottakattukara shop, police said.  The inquiry revealed that he was involved in about 20 criminal cases including theft and drug smuggling. Police also unveiled another more of his operation. 

He used to arrive at textile shops and try new dress at the trial room. He would then leave the shop saying that he would return after taking the money from the vehicle parked outside the shop. He stole apparels from around 20 textile shops, police said. A team led by Aluva East Police SHO C L Sudheer arrested Jeemon.