A man from Potta in Chalakudy, Kerala, was nabbed by the State police within two days of looting Rs.15 lakh from a bank. He threatened the bank manager and staff at knifepoint before scooting off with the money.

The crime, which occurred in daylight, has shocked the locals as Rijo Antony, a resident of Assaripara near Potta, was arrested at his residence and taken into custody.

Antony had planned the robbery for several days, confirming that there would not be witnesses at the bank only during lunch break. He chose that time – post noon – to lock up the employees of Federal Bank in the toilet, break open the cash counter with a chair and flee with the money. The scooter he used for the crime was his own, but he had a fake number plate fixed to it, which the police identified from the CCTV footage. His shoes were a giveaway as the red sole helped the police zero in on Antony.

It is believed that Antony resorted to robbery to clear his debts that had piled up to Rs.47 lakh. His wife worked as a nurse in Kuwait, and the money she sent Antony was spent frivolously by him. Since she had planned to return home, Antony was desperate to close all debts to avoid being found out. Further investigations are on. – Photo by freepik— editor@nrifocus.com