Kerala Police arrest thief who cooked meal before fleeing with Rs 25,000
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Palakkad: The Kerala Police on Wednesday arrested a thief who broke into a hotel near Palakkad last month, prepared a meal for himself, and escaped with Rs 25,000 in cash along with other items.
The incident occurred on the night of May 22 at a hotel in Chandranagar, a Palakkad suburb.
The accused, identified as Shivakumar—a habitual offender from Marthandam near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in Thiruvananthapuram—gained entry after midnight by breaking through the back door.
Once inside, he headed straight to the kitchen, where CCTV footage showed him finding eggs, lighting the stove, and cooking an omelette. Unsatisfied, he rummaged through the refrigerator, found a packet of raw beef, and cooked himself a full meal—spending over an hour in the hotel.
After finishing his impromptu feast, he searched the premises and discovered a purse containing Rs 25,000, reportedly left behind by the hotel owner.
Additionally, he stole an offertory box from a nearby temple before slipping away into the night.
The next morning, hotel staff were puzzled by the disarray in the kitchen and the partially used beef packet. Their suspicions were confirmed upon reviewing CCTV footage, which showed the intruder calmly preparing his meal and taking valuables.
A police complaint was filed on May 23, and the CCTV visuals were handed over to the Palakkad police.
Authorities circulated the suspect’s images across neighbouring districts, leading to his identification and arrest in Thrissur on Wednesday.
Shivakumar will be presented before a judicial magistrate in Palakkad, while police are also investigating possible links to other thefts in the region.
(inputs from IANS)
