Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jul 30: The city crime branch (CCB) police on Thursday July 30 foiled a theft attempt and arrested five persons near St Joseph Nagar road here.

The arrested are Santosh Kumar (19), a resident of Jeppu, Gautam (19), a resident of Kankanady, Nitin Kumar (24) of Pandeshwar, and Dheeraj (24) and Dhanraj (19) of Padil.

Based on credible information that some miscreants were moving around in a Scorpio car near the entrance leading to St Joseph Nagar road, the CCB police arrived at the spot and took the five into custody.

The five were plotting to commit thefts at the houses of some well-to-do people in the vicinity of Valencia, police said.

The police recovered two machetes, an iron rod, a Scorpio car and three mobile handsets from the accused.

Among the five, Santosh Kumar was accused of kidnapping and robbing a person along with his accomplices Sarfaraz, Asif and Sharukh in 2014. He had been arrested in the case and spent four months in judicial custody.

The five accused as well as the seized items have been handed over to Mangaluru rural police for further investigation.

The operation was conducted on the direction of police commissioner S Murugan, under the guidance of DCP K M Shantaraju and led by CCB inspector Valentine D'Souza.