Kasaragod: He walked into a mobile shop looking every bit like a bank manager, neatly dressed, with a tuft of hair on his head and polished Malayalam. He asked to see a few tablets, examined them and then, in a split second, allegedly slipped one into his bag. The box remained on the counter.

Kishore Shankar (41), a native of Edappally in Kochi, is now in police custody in Kasaragod, where officers said they have uncovered a trail of around 10 theft and fraud cases across Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

Mobile phones and tablets were among the items he allegedly targeted, often using his appearance and manner to win the confidence of shopkeepers.

In Kasaragod, he targeted Bridge Mobile Star near the New Bus Stand on July 20. Shankar walked into the shop and asked a salesperson to show him tablets. The salesman brought out five or six models. Shankar examined them before asking to see another. When the salesman turned to fetch it, Shankar allegedly made his move. He quickly opened one of the boxes, took out the Samsung Tab S9 FE and slipped it into his bag, leaving the empty box on the counter, said Kasaragod Sub-Inspector M T P Saifudheen.

Later, Shankar agreed to buy the last tablet that was shown to him. After the discount, the bill came to ₹32,492. He opened the Canara Bank app on his phone to make the payment, but the transaction failed.

He told the shop owner he would check with his bank and return to complete the purchase.

The shop owner had little reason to doubt him. Shankar had introduced himself as a bank manager and left his name and phone number.

But shortly after he left, the salesman began returning the tablets to their shelves. One of the boxes felt light. There was no tablet inside.
The shop owner repeatedly called Shankar. Each time, he allegedly promised to return the money in a day or two.

On July 27, a week after the incident, the shop owner approached Kasaragod Town police. "Even when our Inspector called him, he said he would return the money in two days," said SI Saifudheen.
But by then, police were already tracking him.

Investigators traced Shankar to Thrissur and then to Kochi, where he checked into a lodge. A police team picked him up from the lodge, where he was staying with another man, the officer said.

Police said Shankar's appearance is part of his method. He often wears a tie when visiting electronics shops, presenting himself as a respectable professional. His fluent Malayalam and quick hands allegedly do the rest. "He is good with his sleight of hand," Saifudheen said.

Police said some shop owners may choose not to pursue such cases, particularly when the value of the stolen item is relatively small. That, investigators believe, may have allowed Shankar to share his phone number and name. The Kasaragod shop owner, however, insisted on pursuing the case.

The arrest has already opened up another investigation. After learning that Shankar had been caught, a man from Kumbla approached Kasaragod Town police and allegedly told them that Shankar had cheated him of ₹10,000 after promising to arrange a bank loan.

Police are now trying to recover the Samsung tablet and investigate the other complaints against him.