Police recover centuries-old documents stolen from St Francis Church LP School in Fort Kochi

Kochi: Police investigating the burglary reported at St Francis Church LP School in Fort Kochi said that most of the stolen items were recovered.

Police on Saturday arrested the accused, Shaheer, 41, of Kalvathy, for the burglary. Centuries-old school records, registers, toys, books and other materials were among the stolen items. The old registers, which preserved the memories and details of generations of students who studied at St Francis Church LP School, considered one of Kerala’s oldest educational institutions, were reported missing on Thursday.

Fort Kochi police said that primary investigation revealed that Shaheer’s intention was to sell the stolen documents as scrap. “Most of the documents were recovered from his house. We are checking if any of the stolen documents are missing. A stolen mixer grinder is yet to be recovered,” said an officer.

The burglary came to light when school authorities arrived at the campus to inspect the cleaning activities at the school ahead of the new academic year. According to school authorities, the main door of the school was found broken open, while cupboards and storage spaces inside the office were ransacked.

According to FIR registered by Fort Kochi police, the total value of the stolen items is estimated at around Rs 20,000. Police identified the accused using CCTV footage. He was presented in court and remanded in judicial custody.