The Kottayam Rubber Board residential quarters at Puthuppally are classified as a high-security zone, yet burglars managed to break into two quarters and steal 73 sovereigns of gold, evading security measures, including night patrols.

The sprawling 90-acre campus houses 126 quarters and is under special security cover. Residents often leave their doors unlocked while stepping out, owing to the high level of security. However, there are no CCTV cameras installed inside the compound.

Police suspect a gang from North India is behind the theft. A team led by District Police Chief Shahul Hameed visited the site. Kottayam East police have registered two cases and launched a full-scale investigation. Gloves believed to have been used by the burglars were recovered from the premises.

The theft occurred early on Tuesday, with thieves making away with 73 sovereigns of gold from two quarters.

The incident came to light when one of the residents, Dr Rekha, returned from Vietnam on Tuesday morning and found the front door of her residence smashed open. A subsequent check of other unoccupied quarters revealed that gold ornaments had also been stolen from Joy P Idakkara's residence. Joy, who was away at his home in Perumbavoor, found that the front door of his quarters had been forced open in a similar manner.

While Dr Rekha's quarters are on the first floor, Joy's residence is on the ground floor of a three-storey building. Two other quarters targeted in attempted thefts are also located on the ground floor. Despite residents occupying the upper floors of these buildings, none noticed anything as the burglars carried out their raid.

District Police Chief Shahul Hameed said the modus operandi of the burglars closely resembled thefts reported earlier from the northern districts of the state. "This was carried out by a professional gang," he said.

Targeting unoccupied quarters
Police believe the theft was meticulously planned, with the burglars targeting only unoccupied quarters. After noticing movement in a quarter opposite the targeted buildings, the burglars latched the door from the outside. Unable to step out the next morning, the residents contacted neighbours by phone and managed to get out safely. The incident is believed to have taken place around 6 am on Tuesday.

The burglary at Dr Rekha's residence was first reported to Joy P Idakkara by an office staff member over the phone. Joy, who was away, asked the staff to check his residence as well. When the staff member arrived, he found the main door of Joy's quarters open and immediately alerted residents in neighbouring quarters and informed the police. Joy reached the premises around noon. A probe revealed that gold ornaments kept in almirahs had been stolen from both quarters.

A police sniffer dog brought in for inspection traced a route from the administrative block to the vicinity of the burgled quarters, then slipped down through a small cluster of rocks to reach near the Rubber Research Institute, where it stopped.

Major burglary at Manganam in October
The theft at Puthupally is the second major incident occurring over a span of a few months. A major burglary was reported at Manganam near here last October. The theft occurred around 2 am when the occupants had rushed to a hospital following an emergency. The loss was estimated at 50 sovereigns of gold.

The accused in the case, Guru Sajan (Mahesh, 41), a native of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh, has since been released on bail. A team comprising the District Police Chief's squad and the Kottayam East police had arrested him at the time.

In that case too, the burglars had broken open the door, entered the house and forced open an iron almirah in a ground-floor bedroom to commit the theft.