Payyannur (Kannur): After his house was broken into for the fifth time, the owner has concluded that locking the door serves little purpose anymore.

The repeated burglaries have targeted the residence of retired professor R Sathyanathan, located near the Velloor School stop along the national highway. Worn down by the recurring incidents and mounting repair costs, he has now instructed the caretaker who manages the house and property to leave the premises unlocked.

The first break in took place in 2002, when the front door was forced open and gold and cash were stolen. On the second occasion too, the burglar entered by breaking the same door, making away with a small amount of money. The family later shifted their residence to Pilathara, but the house continued to be targeted. The thief returned again, broke open the front door, entered the house and ransacked everything inside. Yet another burglary occurred on the very day when tenants had vacated the property, with the intruder once again forcing the front door open.

After the third incident, the owner installed CCTV cameras. During the subsequent theft, however, the burglar even took away the surveillance equipment.

The latest break in came to light on Sunday afternoon when a man who had arrived to water the plants noticed the front door of the house remaining badly damaged. The owner was informed and a complaint was lodged with the police.

A considerable amount had already been spent on repairing the damaged door over the years. Now, with a carpenter insisting that the entire door would have to be replaced, the owner has chosen instead to leave it unlocked. Despite cases being registered after the previous four burglaries, the police have so far been unable to trace the culprit.