Duplicate keys and SIM-swap trick: How UP man drained bank accounts from parked scooters across Kerala

KOCHI: A 34-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly carrying out a string of thefts by using duplicate keys to access two-wheelers and steal valuables.As per news agency PTI, Imran Khan, a native of Aligarh, was arrested by the Aluva police following an investigation triggered by a complaint earlier this month.The case surfaced on March 14 when a youth from Thrissur district reported that his belongings had been stolen while he was appearing for an exam at a centre in Aluva. He had parked his scooter and kept his purse and mobile phone inside the vehicle’s storage compartment. When he returned, he found the compartment open and his items missing.On contacting his bank to block the cards, he discovered that Rs 65,000 had already been withdrawn from his account, police said.Investigators later found that the accused used duplicate keys to unlock scooter storage compartments and steal mobile phones, wallets, cash, and debit or credit cards. He would then remove SIM cards from the stolen phones, insert them into another device, and use them to reset ATM PINs before withdrawing money.Police said the phone used for inserting SIM cards was not used for making calls.The accused is suspected to be involved in similar thefts across multiple locations, including Aluva, Kollam, Thrissur, parts of Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

He was reportedly on the move constantly, making it difficult for authorities to track him.Investigators revealed that he was in Bhopal on March 23 and Coimbatore on March 27 before arriving in Kochi.He was finally arrested from a lodge near Vyttila Mobility Hub on Sunday night while allegedly planning another theft. Police recovered around 10 duplicate two-wheeler keys, three mobile phones, and several wallets from his possession.The accused was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody. (With agency inputs)