Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 1: The investigation into the robbery involving a jewellery trader near Baikampady in the early hours of Monday has taken a new turn, with the stolen car being recovered at Benjanapadavu in Bantwal police station limits, Mangaluru City police commissioner said.
The accused had abandoned the vehicle and fled. Police found that the robbers had torn apart the car's seat covers and thoroughly searched the vehicle. Investigators suspect the accused believed that valuables or gold might have been concealed inside the seats and ripped them open while searching.
While the trader's stolen car has been recovered, the mobile phone taken by the robbers is yet to be traced. As the phone has been switched off, police suspect it may have been destroyed or discarded by the accused. Efforts are underway to trace its location using mobile tower dump analysis.
Police suspect the three cars used by the robbers travelled along the same route before and after the crime. Investigators believe the accused may have escaped via the highway towards Bengaluru, Kodagu and Kerala, through the Dharmasthala route towards Chikkamagaluru, or via Talapady into Kerala.
Accordingly, police are collecting CCTV footage from toll plazas and major junctions along these routes. Investigators said the probe could become more challenging if the accused used interior roads to evade detection. The robbers had worn masks during the crime to conceal their identities and are believed to have continued using them while fleeing.
Police are also investigating whether the vehicles used in the robbery were rented by the accused or stolen specifically for committing the crime. Details are being collected from car rental agencies and second-hand vehicle dealers. Investigators are also examining RTO records, as there is suspicion that the registration numbers on the vehicles may have been fake. The police commissioner expressed confidence that the accused would be arrested soon.
It may be recalled, at around 2.30 am on Monday, the robbers, who arrived in three cars, intercepted the jewellery trader's vehicle and fled with the car, about 180 grams of gold ornaments, cash, and a mobile phone.
Police are investigating the case from multiple angles based on CCTV footage, mobile tower location data, and other leads. Night patrolling has also been intensified in the Baikampady and Panambur areas.