A special team will soon be formed to deal with vehicles and valuables being stolen from the vicinity of temples in the wake of the growing number of such cases in the district, Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao said here on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference to announce the arrest of two persons accused of theft in Sullia recently, Mr. Rao said that in the last two months, burglaries were reported from six temples, and in separate cases eight vehicles had been stolen.
Meeting
“A meeting of police officials from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod (Kerala) districts as well as the Police Commissionerate will be held on July 21, and a special team will be formed to deal with this crime,” he said.
Speaking to The Hindu later, he said the team was likely to have four members.
Two held
The district police have arrested two persons in connection with separate cases of theft that occurred on June 26 and July 7 in Sullia taluk, he said. Gold ornaments and cash were stolen from the house of B.T. Madhava Gowda, a resident of Kasaba, on June 26, and another house of Ishwar Bhat on July 7.
Same method
The culprits in both the cases reconnoitred houses during the day and forced open those that were locked, Mr. Rao said.
On July 16, the Superintendent of Police and various police officers from Dakshina Kannada and Madikeri apprehended the two from Hunsur in Mysore district and recovered 245 gm of gold ornaments.
Both the accused, Manja (21) and Ammi (21), were arrested in Hunsur and are said to have confessed to the crime.
Reward
Another accomplice named Ravi was also involved.
The police officers who were involved in the team that arrested the accused would be given a reward, Mr. Rao said.
