Man nabbed for stealing valuables from cars

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Police have issued a warning to those who park their cars at supermarkets and clothing stores to be cautious when leaving expensive laptops, mobile phones and jewellery in their cars.

Stolen laptops, mobile phones, digital cameras, pen drives, gold jewellery and foreign currency were recovered following the arrest of a young man at Bambalapitiya by the Colombo Crime Division, Police Media Spokesman, SP Prishantha Jayakody told the Sunday Observer.

Police said the suspect was a 28-year-old man from Katugastota, Kandy who had studied at an international school in Colombo.

He had stolen the valuables from cars parked at supermarkets and clothing stores at Bambalapitiya, Maharagama, Nugegoda, Gampaha and Kottawa.

The car doors were opened with a master key and 12 laptops, three digital cameras, eight mobile phones, foreign currency notes and pen drives were recovered by the police. Stolen computers were recovered from a computer shop at Bambalapitiya. Detectives posing as businessmen had lured the robber into a trap by inviting him to Bambalapitiya. Laptops belonging to university lecturers, doctors, businessmen and journalists have been stolen from their cars, police said.

Meanwhile, the suspect is being questioned in connection with other stolen laptops and valuable goods from vehicles, police said. The detection was made by IP Indika Wijesuriya and his party under the direction of CCD Director A.R.L Ranaweera.