The accused broke the lock of the house with the help of the rod. (Representational)
A 27-year-old man was on Saturday arrested for allegedly breaking into the house of an Army officer and stealing a pistol, bullets and jewellery in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur Cantonment area, police said.
The accused Rahul Valmik broke into the official residence of Lieutenant Colonel Arun Malik, when the latter was out of town with his family, additional superintendent of police (ASP) Samar Verma said.
Valmik allegedly hid an iron rod in a broom and gained entry into the heavily-guarded Rao Chauhan Enclave in the Cantonment area by posing as a sweeper, he said.
The accused broke the lock of the house with the help of the rod and decamped with the weapon and valuables, the ASP said.
The family's domestic help noticed the door unlocked on July 18, and informed her employer, following which Lt Col Malik rushed to Jabalpur and found that his personal licensed pistol (9 mm), eight bullets, five watches and jewllery were missing, he said.
After scanning the CCTV footage of the Army area, the police zeroed in on Valmiki, he said.
The accused was familiar with the Army officers' colony, as he had lived in the servant quarters with his father. They shifted to Delhi six months ago, the ASP said.
The accused has been charged with sections 457 (house trespass) and 380 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code, he added.