Kottayam: A daring robbery at a villa in Manganam has revealed that a gang equipped with advanced lock-breaking tools and a specialist who can open “unbreakable” doors in seconds is on the loose. Police say they have identified the gang’s kingpin and are in hot pursuit.

The heist took place in the early hours of Saturday at villa number 21, Skyline Palm Meadows, where thieves made off with 50 sovereigns of gold belonging to 84-year-old Ambookkayathu Annamma Thomas and her daughter Sneha B Philip, 54. Within hours, the same gang targeted a nearby wellness clinic. Locals also reported four other break-in attempts the same night.

Investigators say the burglars came armed with two types of tools — a sharp metal rod to prise open villa doors by wedging it between the door and frame, and a specialised device to crack the iron door lock at the clinic. Crime scene inspection showed hammer-like impact marks, while CCTV footage revealed one thief carrying a heavy bag brimming with burglary gear.

One suspect stood out: a man captured on video opening a reinforced door in seconds. He even coached another gang member in the craft. Police suspect that some gang members had joined the operation purely to learn lock-breaking techniques.

At 3.03 am, the robbers hit the wellness clinic. Soon after, an intense odour filled the premises — possibly from a chemical spray meant to throw off sniffer dogs.

This wasn’t their first visit. On July 14, a group posing as rubberwood traders had turned up at the clinic. Suspicious staff alerted the police, and locals blocked their exit. But the gang fled before officers arrived. Their vehicle’s registration number turned out to be fake. Now, with one member identified and five caught on camera, the search has turned into a high-stakes race to catch the gang before they strike again.