Screenplays to booze: Kerala's new-age petty thieves ditch gold for bizarre targets

"It is not about the money, officer... it is just for the thrill." This was the candid confession of a petty thief recently caught by the Kottayam police. It highlights a fascinating shift in the criminal landscape of Kerala. The modern generation of thieves is stepping away from traditional, high-value targets like gold jewellery, luxury vehicles, and heavy cash reserves. Instead, they are carving out a niche in a low-stakes, highly diversified market. Their demands are simple: items that can be quickly offloaded for immediate cash to cover daily expenses, fund substance habits, or simply provide a quick rush of adrenaline. According to the police, the majority of these new-age thieves are youngsters aged between 17 and 25.

This tactical shift carries a distinct advantage for the criminals. Since the financial value of the stolen goods is relatively minor, victims are often reluctant to go through the hassle of filing a formal police complaint. This psychological loophole has become a key strategy for Kottayam's petty criminals, allowing them to operate under the radar with minimal fuss.

A preference for loose change
Among these modern thieves is a peculiar traveller who completely shuns mobile phones and electronic devices to avoid digital tracking. Instead, his entire focus is on the donation boxes of religious shrines. Travelling strictly by train, he hops from one town to another, striking a temple or church, and leaving the area on the very same day. His target is always under ₹2,000 in loose change. After breaking open the donation boxes, he quickly retreats, only to return to the district months later for his next run. Local police are currently on high alert to nab this elusive traveller.

International piracy during the World Cup
Meanwhile, officials of a company that had purchased the broadcasting rights for the World Cup football tournament approached the Pala police station with a complaint. They alleged that a young man who had subscribed to an OTT platform had recorded the match footage and circulated it through a WhatsApp group with 1,000 members.

The company sought a police case, alleging that this amounted to theft of broadcasting rights. An investigation revealed that the young man had collected ₹100 from each member of the group. The company had engaged another agency to monitor whether others were misusing its broadcasting rights. This agency detected the young man’s alleged piracy.

From drama scripts to air conditioners: Kottayam's oddest robberies
The shift towards unconventional targets has resulted in some highly unusual cases registered across Kottayam district in recent months. Here is a look at some of the most bizarre incidents:

• The stolen screenplay: In one of the strangest thefts reported on September 17, thieves broke into a car parked at the Kottayam District Hospital. Instead of valuable electronics, they made away with a handwritten script for an upcoming play. The creative manuscript remains missing to this day.
• An air conditioner on the run: In Karukachal, an air conditioning unit was placed outside a servicing workshop to dry after being treated for a bug infestation. Before it could be handed back to its owner, swift-moving thieves snatched the entire appliance from the shopfront.
• Bronze vessels sold as scrap: A collection of traditional bronze kitchenware, including three large lamps (nilavilakku), two wide cooking vessels (uruli), and traditional water jugs, went missing from a home near the Edavattom Vakkail temple in Maravanthuruthu. Acting on a tip-off, police later tracked the old utensils to a local scrap yard. However, several ancient idols stolen during the same heist are yet to be recovered. In a dramatic chase, one suspect dropped a massive bronze pot and fled when questioned by passers-by.
• The silent house heist: Exploiting the loud noise from a tiling project at a neighbouring house, a thief broke into a home and managed to steal ₹3 lakh. However, by the time police tracked him down, his stash had dwindled to just ₹48,000.
• Midnight petrol pump raid: On October 3, masked thieves pulled off a daring robbery, stealing ₹70,000 from a petrol pump situated directly opposite the Marangattupilly police station.
• Booze and cash: A government-run beverage outlet in Kuravilangad was broken into on September 15. The burglars escaped with both liquor bottles and cash. Interestingly, the same outlet was targeted in a similar fashion back in June.
• Temple cash boxes: On September 23, intruders broke open a single donation box at the Vennimala Sree Rama Lakshmana Swamy temple, taking ₹5,000 while leaving other valuables untouched.

In addition to these peculiar targets, local construction sites have become hotspots for regular thefts. Contractors frequently report the loss of expensive copper wiring and steel reinforcement bars. These items are easily melted down or sold to unscrupulous scrap dealers, providing these young, vibe-seeking thieves with instant cash and very little paperwork.