Kochi Police nabs Australia businessman, aide; foil burglary plan

Kochi: The Ernakulam rural police on Sunday stopped a major burglary plan and arrested two persons on charges of stealing an oxygen cylinder by breaking open a shop in Perumbavur. The arrested was identified as Jayaprakash (55), of Erattupetta and Aswin alias Pinto (39) of Kannur.

A police team headed by Circle Inspector Baiju Poulose arrested the duo from a home stay in Mararikkulam, Alappuzha, following a tip-off.

According to police officials, the accused had stolen the gas cylinder for making a gas cutter and planned to break open the vaults and steal money and other valuables from these shops during the Onam holidays.

“The accused Jayaprakash was allegedly involved in 12 criminal cases, and Aswin, who runs an organic food firm in Australia for the past nine years, had conspired to conduct burglaries across the Beverages outlets and financial firms across the state,” said a police official.

During investigation, the police identified their location with the help of the cyber cell and by examining CCTV footage collected from the spot. Jayaprakash, who had lived in the middle East for about 23 years, got acquainted with Aswin during his stay in the Gulf countries several years ago.

“The first accused Jayaprakash who had been released from jail one and half months ago, was working at a hotel in Kothamangalam while Aswin was in need of money as he was facing shortage of money required to shift his business to Netherlands. They had been staying together for the last two weeks for planning the burglary,” the official added.

The accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded to custody for 14 days.