Cops release burglar's pics, suspect old convict

SHIVAMOGGA: Police on Wednesday managed to open pictures in the destroyed CCTV cameras and have released the photo of the culprit who broke open the Kuvempu ancestral home museum on Monday night. The man decamped with two valuable awards of the poet Kuvempu.

It is now certain that only one person committed the theft, and the per son knew all aspects of the poet's house. According to photographs released by police from seven CCTV cameras installed in the museum, the culprit has tried to cover his head with his dhoti and made a swift search for valuables.

He used a rod to break open the glass caskets where the valuable belonging to the poet are kept for public view. He also smashed five to six glass boxes before decamping with the Padma Bhushan and PadmaVibhushan medals, kept on the first floor.The lone burglar also tried to open a wooden locker, presuming a large amount of money was kept in it.

Shivamogga SP Ravi Channannavar said a team has been constituted to nab the culprit. It is believed the burglar must be either an old convict or a former member of a security group with full knowledge of the area.