A burglary attempt in Tamil Nadu's Ranipet district took a dramatic turn when a carefully planned heist was foiled due to excessive noise. Wearing a face mask and hand gloves, an intruder broke into a vacant house, expecting an easy target. However, the loud noises generated during his attempt alerted neighbors, leading to his capture red-handed. The incident unfolded in the Kollaimedu area of Varagoorpatti village near Timiri, where local residents acted swiftly upon noticing suspicious activity inside a locked property. Remarkably, the intruder who was caught in the act turned out to be a young man residing in the very same neighborhood.
House Left Locked for a Family Wedding
The incident occurred at the residence of a 74-year-old farmer named Masilamani. On Tuesday evening, Masilamani had securely locked his home before heading to the Gudiyatham region to attend a relative's wedding function. Taking advantage of the unoccupied residence, the suspect attempted to breach the house under the cover of night. However, the late-night quietness of the locality worked against him, as the noise generated by his forceful entry and ransacking quickly drew the attention of nearby residents.
Alert Neighbors and Prompt Action by Nephew
At around 10:00 PM, neighbors residing near Masilamani's home overheard strange, continuous noises emanating from the closed structure. Suspecting a break-in, they immediately telephoned Masilamani to inform him about the unusual activity. Since he was away at the wedding venue, Masilamani urgently contacted his nephew, Srinivasan, instructing him to inspect the property right away. Srinivasan acted without delay and rushed to his uncle's residence to verify the situation.
Masked Intruder Caught and Identified
Upon reaching the house, Srinivasan was stunned to find the front entrance lock smashed open. Hearing persistent banging noises from within, he stepped inside cautiously. Indoors, he spotted a person wearing gloves and a face mask aggressively attempting to pry open the storage almirahs. Srinivasan managed to overpower and catch the intruder red-handed on the spot. When the mask was removed, Srinivasan was shocked to recognize the suspect as Rajkumar, a local youth living in the same vicinity.
Cash and Jewelry Reported Missing, Police Launch Investigation
Following a frantic call, officers from the Timiri police station arrived at the scene and took Rajkumar into custody for interrogation. Meanwhile, the homeowner Masilamani lodged a formal complaint at the Timiri police station, alleging that Rs 5 lakh in cash along with 2 gold ornaments had been stolen from the almirahs inside his house. The police registered a case and initiated a thorough investigation to ascertain the total extent of the theft and recover the missing property.
CCTV Footage Sparks Security Concerns
The case gained further traction after CCTV camera footage emerged from the area. The video clearly depicted Rajkumar approaching and entering the house while wearing full headgear, a mask, and gloves. The revelation that a local resident had targeted a neighbor's house immediately after the owner left for an event has sparked widespread anxiety and safety concerns among the village residents. Police are continuing to interrogate the suspect in custody to trace the missing valuables.
