Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur

Puttur, Nov 11: In an unusual theft attempt that has sparked considerable local discussion, a thief who broke into a popular grocery store in Uppinangady in the early hours of the morning dragged a sack of garlic towards a parked vehicle, only to abandon it after spending several minutes wandering around it. The entire episode was captured on CCTV.

Locals have been speculating that the divine power in which the shop owner has strong faith may have left the thief confused, preventing him from making away with the goods.

The incident occurred at around 2.30 am when the unidentified thief entered the shop and casually inspected the items kept inside.

After looking around, he eventually settled on a sack of garlic as his target. He transferred the garlic into another gunny sack and, while surveying his surroundings, noticed a CCTV camera installed inside the premises.

Realising that his movements could have been recorded, he immediately removed the lungi he was wearing and used it to cover his face and head. He then dragged the sack out of the shop and took it towards the rear of a vehicle parked nearby.

However, what followed has made the incident particularly intriguing. Despite spending nearly four to five minutes wandering around the sack, the thief eventually left it behind and walked away without taking the garlic. Why he abandoned his attempted theft remains unclear.

The shop, which is usually bustling with customers, has reportedly witnessed similar incidents in the past. According to the owner, some people have entered the establishment posing as customers and quietly stolen items. However, the owner claims that certain individuals who committed such thefts subsequently experienced unpleasant incidents in their lives and, gripped by fear, returned to the shop to pay for the stolen goods.

The owner believes that divine intervention may have played a role in the latest incident as well, preventing the thief from carrying away the sack of garlic. The unusual turn of events has prompted locals to discuss the possibility that the shop's presiding deity may have left the intruder bewildered.

Thief's movements escape notice despite security measures

The shop where the incident occurred is situated along one of Uppinangady's main streets. Anyone entering or leaving the establishment during the night would necessarily have to pass through one of the adjoining streets.

The police have installed CCTV cameras at strategic points along these streets, while regular night patrols are also conducted. Adding to the security arrangements, private security guards, commonly known as Gurkhas, also move around the locality.

Despite the presence of CCTV surveillance, police patrols and security personnel, neither the thief's arrival nor his departure appears to have attracted anyone's attention. How the intruder managed to enter and leave the busy locality unnoticed, despite these security arrangements, remains a notable aspect of the incident.