Bhubaneswar, Oct. 18: Laxmisagar police recovered stolen items last night from the residential premises of a councillor of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Laxmisagar area.

The councillor, Nibedita Pradhan, said someone from the nearby area had left these items on her premises in the evening.

Sources said that some goons had burgled the house of

Dipti Ranjan Behera at Santosh Vihar near Laxmisagar- Badagada canal on October 13 when the family members were out of town. The goons had broken into the house. Behera came to know about the theft the next day and informed the police. He said the burglars had stolen a DVD player, a television set, a fan, Rs 70,000 cash and gold ornaments worth nearly Rs 50,000.

“I lodged a complaint with the Laxmisagar police,” said Behera. However, Behera said that last night, at around 9pm, he learnt that his property had been spotted on the premises of the local councillor. “I went there and found nearly 50 people had gathered. Soon the police were called and they seized the stolen goods,” Behera said. But he could not say how the stolen items came to be found on the councillor’s premises.

The police said they had received a complaint about the theft and were conducting an investigation.

“Last night we got a call about the goods being found on the councillor’s premises. We rushed to the spot and seized the stolen items. The owner identified the articles,” said a police officer, adding that they were investigating how the items got to the councillor’s house.

Sources said three persons had been detained in connection with the theft.

“We suspect that the theft was committed by drug addicts staying in the nearby slums,” added the officer.

Pradhan said as the police were searching the area for the stolen goods, the relatives of these thieves had dumped the articles on the canal embankment. Later, someone spotted the items and brought them to her house.

“As soon as the local residents told me about the goods on my premises, I informed the police, who seized the items. I have no role in the matter except for handing over the articles to the police,” said the councillor.