Kohima Police crack Rs 1.5 cr buglary ring, accused links to 11 high profile thefts

An SIT conducted the investigation which intensified after the break-in at the KMC office on June 3;

Update: 2025-06-22 06:56 GMT
Kohima Police crack Rs 1.5 cr buglary ring, accused links to 11 high profile thefts
Senior police officials addressing the press after apprehending solo accused in a series of burglary cases (AT Photo)
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Kohima, June 22: Kohima Police recently solved a string of 11 high-profile burglary cases, including the recent theft of nearly Rs 1 crore from the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) Office.

The series of burglaries, which have plagued the city since August 2023, were linked to a single individual, identified as Kekietuo, a 35 year old resident of Kohima village. He was apprehended on Friday night.

At a press briefing at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office, Additional SP and PRO, Soriso informed that accused has confessed to all 11 burglary cases. The police also informed that the total value of the stolen property is estimated to be around Rs 1.5 crores.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Soriso conducted the investigation which intensified after the break-in at the KMC office on June 3.

Using a combination of advanced forensic techniques, digital surveillance, and ground-level human intelligence over the past two and a half weeks, the team identified suspicious spending patterns which provided them a lead. Additionally, they discovered a four-wheeler linked to one of the crimes. Coordination with the Regional Transport Office (RTO) helped trace the vehicle back to the suspect.

Further, the SIT examined financial transactions, tracked high-value purchases at commercial outlets, and investigated land deals flagged through human intelligence.

In one instance, a large cash payment for a vehicle purchase raised suspicions. Once sufficient links were established, police detained the suspect, who confessed to the burglaries.

Police revealed that the accused was employed for over 15 years as a driver in the Police Civil Engineering Department and is a highly cautious individual who is also familiar with investigative procedures. This made the probe particularly challenging.

The burglaries targeted several institutions including Baptist College, Kohima College, Oriental College, North Treasury Kohima and multiple car showrooms. According to the police, each incident involved thorough planning was executed by exploiting security lapses at various institutions.

Notably, these crimes were committed across jurisdictions of both the North and South Police Stations of Kohima.

So far, the police recovered approximately Rs 38 lakh in cash and 33 stolen items from the accused’s residence. Further, 20 other tools used in the burglaries were also seized from a vehicle along with two other vehicles.

Recovered items also include torchlights, binoculars, a tablet, a .22 rifle of Czechoslovakian make, a battery-powered driller and chainsaw, a crowbar, hammer, clamp wrench, screwdriver, chisel, multi-tool, hand gloves, lithium batteries, and a number of personal accessories such as sneakers, jackets, masks, watches, bags, and keys.

Kohima Police are continuing efforts to recover the remaining stolen property. Search operations are ongoing based on leads obtained from the accused. Authorities are also investigating possible links to other unreported cases.

The accused, Kekietuo, remains in police custody as legal proceedings continue.

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