Men who stole 20 kg gold suspected to have left Kerala

Kochi: Two days after the heist in which two unidentified men attacked a car and decamped with 20 kg gold worth `6 crore at Edayar, the police suspects they had left the state.

Though there are no significant breakthroughs, the rural police said that the investigation based on the call data records would help them.

The damaged CCTVs across the way through which they might have escaped point towards a meticulously planned operation.

“We have received a couple of visuals, but those are unclear to identify the suspects or their vehicle registration number. The remaining CCTV units turned defunct after the August floods,” a senior police officer said.

“However, the victims and suspected witnesses are being quizzed. We have widened the search as we cannot rule out the possibility of them fleeing the state.”

The police had also detained the firm's four employees who were in the car at the time of the incident and released after interrogation. As of now, no one is in custody, the police said.

The heist happened around 10 pm on Thursday in front of CGR Metalloys, a gold refining firm at Edayar.

The assailants decamped with gold kept in two boxes in melted form belonging to some major jewellers, after smashing the window of the car. The robbers left behind one box containing the remaining five kg of gold.

The police was not even aware of such a firm that had been functioning for the past 25 years. Meanwhile, Kadungalloor Panchayat officials were reportedly denied entry to the company when they went there for a visit.