Honnavar: A thief accused of  stealing 15,000 rupees from a shop at Kulimane region coming under Manki Police Station limits, on Tuesday night, was caught by the villagers and handed over to the police.

The accused has been identified as Lingaraju Raye Gowda of Sakaleshpur in Hassan district.

The thief had broken open the lock of the shop owned by Vasant Gopal Shetty at Kulimane and made away with Rs 15,000 cash.

However, some villagers, who were returning home after listening attending an orchestra, growing suspicious accosted the youth who confessed to the crime.

They then called the Manki police and handed him over to them.