Kollam (Kerala) | A man allegedly involved in a series of burglaries targeting post offices in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts was arrested in Kochi, police said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Asif Raza, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Kadakkal police in Kochi on Wednesday, officials said.

According to police, Raza allegedly broke open lockers and committed thefts at seven post offices in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts over the past few months.

The latest burglary took place on July 22 at the Kadakkal post office in Kollam district, where the accused allegedly broke open a locker and stole around Rs 1.25 lakh, police said.

The investigation made a breakthrough after police recovered a receipt for the purchase of a metal-cutting machine while examining the crime scene.

Further investigation revealed that the machine had been purchased from a shop at Chala in Thiruvananthapuram and that the payment was made through a digital payment platform, police said.

Using the mobile number linked to the UPI account, police traced the accused to a lodge in Kochi, where he had allegedly arrived to burgle a post office, they said.

He was brought to the Kadakkal police station on Thursday and later taken to the post office for the collection of evidence.

Police said Raza told investigators that he targeted post offices because they lacked the advanced security systems found in banks.