Palakkad, Kerala: A theft has been reported from Palakkad, where a key hidden outside the house was allegedly used to gain entry.

The incident occurred at P.K. Joy's residence in Pazhambalacode, Alathur. Around 10 sovereigns of gold and Rs 90,000 were reported stolen on Tuesday afternoon.

At the time, Joy’s wife, Jiji, had gone to a church in Chelakkara for prayers. Joy had locked the house before leaving to pick her up.

He had placed the house key inside a shoe in the sit-out, a routine practice. When he returned, he found the front door ajar, while the key was still inside the shoe.

The loss was found only after checking the wall cupboard, where the gold and cash had been kept locked. It is suspected that the key was taken, used to open the house, and then placed back after the theft.

Investigation underway

Jiji visits the Chelakkara church every Tuesday, and Joy usually goes to pick her up. When leaving, he routinely keeps the key inside a shoe in the sit-out.

Police suspect that someone aware of this pattern may be behind the theft.

Following Joy’s complaint, Alathur police registered a case and conducted a preliminary inspection at the site.

A dog squad and fingerprint experts are set to examine the scene on Wednesday.