Fire kills thief at grocery store

A thief who entered a grocery-store on Gemunu Mawatha, Batuwatta, Ragama in the early hours of last morning set fire to the store when he noticed that the owner was awake. However, he himself burnt to death in the fire. Police said the deceased, Solanga Arachchige Ruwan Nishantha (27) alias “Ambalella” was a suspect in a series of robberies in the area.

The grocery-store was completely destroyed by the fire. The owner said the value of the destroyed goods and the damage to the building would amount to more than Rs. 1 million.

The owner who lived in the adjacent house said he had come to the store at about 4.45 a.m. to take in the stock of bread brought from the bakery only to find the rear door open and had spotted someone inside

Investigations revealed that the thief had entered the grocery-store by breaking open a rear-door. The owner who lived in the adjacent house said he had come to the store at about 4.45 a.m. to take in the stock of bread brought from the bakery only to find the rear door open and had spotted someone inside. He added that when he locked the door and called the neighbours, the thief set fire to the store.

Police said the suspect who suffered serious burns was rushed to the Ragama hospital, only to be pronounced dead.

The preliminary magisterial inquiry and the autopsy were to be held yesterday afternoon.

OIC Ragama Police CI P.k.hettiarachchi, OIC Kelaniya SOCO Unit SI S.A.D.S. Senadeera, Sergeant 24615 Jayalath, PCC 78795 Chinthaka and 67448 Abeysinge are conducting further investigations.