Pathanapuram: It was around midnight, a setting that seemed perfect for a theft. There was no movement, nor were there any lights. Believing he had struck gold, the thief moved in under the cover of darkness.

What he, however, failed to realise was that someone, miles away across the sea, was watching everything unfold. Within moments, the scene changed. Lights came on, people rushed in, and his plans fell apart. Without a second thought, the thief fled into the darkness.

The drama unfolded late last night at the residence of Roy Thanur Tharayil in Poothuval. It was when the thief entered the house and began preparing for the act that Roy’s daughter, who works at a company in Dubai, noticed the activity through the home’s CCTV feed on her phone.

She immediately called home and alerted her parents, who were asleep. They, in turn, informed nearby residents, who quickly gathered at the scene.

By then, the thief had escaped. The family confirmed that nothing was stolen. A few days earlier, a thief armed with deadly weapons had attempted to break into a relative’s house nearby.