Foiled by Footage: Armed Robbers Flee After Expat Alerts Neighbours via CCTV

An armed robbery attempt was thwarted in Noakhali’s Senbagh upazila in the early hours of 23 July, when a group of robbers attempted to break into a house but were forced to flee after being spotted live on CCTV by a family member residing abroad.

The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at the home of Kamal Patwary in the village of Purbo Kabilpur, under Kabilpur Union. According to local sources, while the robbers had successfully looted two nearby homes earlier in the night, they failed to carry out the heist at the Patwary residence.

Kamal Patwary’s son, Abdul Hai, who lives in Kuwait, was monitoring the premises remotely through CCTV cameras installed at his family home. As the robbers began attempting to break through the main gate, he witnessed the event in real time via mobile phone and immediately alerted neighbours.

In response to his call, nearby residents quickly gathered and began shouting. The loud commotion forced the robbers to flee the scene without executing the break-in.

Speaking to local media, Kabilpur Union Parishad Member Tofazzal Hossain said, “Kamal Patwary had installed CCTV cameras at his house a few months ago. Last night, when the robbers tried to force open the main gate, his son Abdul Hai saw everything through the Wi-Fi-enabled security system from abroad. He instantly called and informed the family. Upon hearing their screams for help, people from surrounding houses rushed to the scene, and the robbers ran away.”

Earlier that same night, successful armed robberies took place at two residences in Moijdipur and Kabilpur villages, also under Kabilpur Union. The robbers held residents at gunpoint and made off with cash, gold jewellery, and other valuables.

Following the incidents, police from Senbagh Police Station visited the scenes on Thursday morning to investigate.