Moodbidri :Moodbidri Police have on Tuesday June 24 arrested  seven persons in connection with the case of stealing  pepper worth Rs 8 lakh form a godown at Handelu in Puttige village. Incidentally, the police could track down the thieves within hours of them committing the theft.

The theft occurred in the K.M.B Enterprises owned by Mukhesh Kumar Patil near the Handelu school. As many as 21 bags of pepper weighing 60 kg each were stolen on June 23, Monday night.

The theft came to light when the workers arrived on Tuesday. When the godown owner expressed suspicion over Harish of Kallamundkur who used to load pepper in the past, the police interrogated him when it came to light that he along with six others were involved in the theft.

The thieves had stocked the stolen pepper bags in a HUDCO colony in the town with an intention of transport them  elsewhere in a Scorpio vehicle on Tuesday itself.

The Moodbidri police led by Inspector Anantha Padmanabha wasted no time in  arresting the thieves.

Those arrested are Naveen of Moodbidri, Sukesh Shetty of Karyagundi, Yogiraj of Nellikar, Prashanth, Mahesh and Yogish.