Thief steals 30 bottles of coconut oil in Kerala amid price surge ahead of Onam
Published By : Sourav Das
| August 7, 2025 12:21 PM
Kochi, Aug 7: Amid rising prices of coconut and coconut oil prices in Kerala ahead of Onam, a reported theft of coconut oil from a grocery shop near Kochi has caught public attention.
As per reports, a miscreant made off with 30 bottles of coconut oil and other provisions from a vegetable and fruit shop near the Thottumugham bridge in Aluva, located around 30 km from Kochi.
The suspect had initially attempted to break in by drilling through the shop’s floor, but the effort failed, according to a local media report on Thursday.
The price of one kilogram of coconut in Kerala ranges from Rs 80 to Rs 100, while coconut oil is priced between Rs 500 and Rs 600 per kg. Both coconut and coconut oil are essential in daily life across the state, but their record-high prices are already putting a strain on household budgets, especially with the Onam festival round the corner.
According to local media, the thief first attempted to drill a hole through the shop’s concrete floor to break in, but it didn’t work. He then broke the main lock to enter the shop. Once inside, he reportedly stuffed 30 bottles of premium coconut oil, each worth around Rs 600, into a sack. In addition to the coconut oil, the thief also took a box of apples and ten packets of milk.
Before leaving, he allegedly tried to destroy evidence by cutting the cables of the CCTV cameras inside the shop.
