No brainstorming is needed to understand why a film star spends a decent amount of money at a gym regularly. But what is the importance of spending money at a gym and being slim for a burglar in Dhaka? Detectives could discover the reason behind it only after they could nab the physique-conscious thief after he committed around a hundred burglaries in the city.
The thief, Ramjan Ali, confessed that he used to go to an expensive gym to keep his body very slim so that he can break into a house through the tiny hole for fixing an exhaust fan for burglary. Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Md Nazmul Haque, Senior Assistant Commissioner of the Detective Branch (Serious Crime Investigation Division) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said, “Ramjan would first remove the exhaust fan, and due to his slim body, could easily break into a house through the tiny whole meant for fitting the fan. After committing burglary, he would also leave the house through the same tiny hole.”
DB traced and arrested Romjan Ali, son of Kanchon Mallick, on July 29 from the Balurmath area under Adabor Police Station. He is originally from Haluaghat upazila of Mymensingh district. Detective sources said, on December 8 last year, Zamal Hossain, owner of Rokeya Gift and Cookeries at Kallyanpur Main Road area filed a case with Mirpur Model Police Station on allegation of a theft of Tk 2, 30,000 and some other valuables from his shop.
Sub Inspector Rahamot Ullah was appointed as the first investigation officer. But he failed to detect the thief and trace any clue even after scrutinizing CCTV footages. At one stage, the case was shifted to DB. Sub Inspector Md Mosleh Uddin was appointed the latest IO of the case. DB traced Romjan using information technology and arrested him on July 29 last.
According to the court sources, the arrested thief gave confessional statement on July 30. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Millat Hossain recorded the confessional statement. Romjan described how he had committed daring theft at the Rokeya Gifts and Crookeries and stole more than Tk 2 lakh. In his confessional statement, he said he was working at the Maya Fashion in city’s Adabor area. He was fired from his job as he had demanded an increase of his salary.
He failed to manage any new job after that. He started collecting household wastages to earn a living. On December 8 last year, he went to Kallayanpur area. He pushed the exhaust fan of the said shop. It fell inside opening a tiny hole. “I entered into the shop through the hole. I am a smoker. I always have a match box with me. Lighting a match stick, I saw that the cashbox of the shop was open. I put all the money into a bag of the shop. I left the shop through the same hole of the exhaust.”
According to the DB sources, Romjan was a Madrasa student. Earlier he was arrested in a case filed for stealing from a Walton show room. His brother-in-law Monir who is now a professional robber, had trained him in stealing and robbery. Romjan also disclosed that he never brings any associate with him while committing theft.
Deputy Commissioner of DB (Serious Crime Investigation Division) Mir Mudasser Hossain said, “Such thieves are so tricky that if they can just push their head in, they can easily enter inside the flat to commit a theft.” He suggested city dwellers to take extra security measures, especially to use iron grills at the end of the exhaust fans or ventilators. He also advised to install CCTV cameras adding that the said thief was actually detected using CCTV footages.