Lester's award found in bus -- phone thief also nabbed

Lester's award found in bus --

phone thief also nabbed

During moments of confusion on the day of final rites of distinguished cinematographer Dr. Lester James Peries, the Golden Peacock award his was bestowed by India was found missing and it was found this morning inside a bus. What police media spokesman informed was

that Kollupitiya police station was notified by the driver and conductor who had come across it was found in the bus, placed on an overhead rack in the bus plying from Kaduwela to Kollupitiya. It is suspected that some passenger of Kollupitiya - Kaduwela 177 bus had left it there.

The said award robbed at Lester James Peries Mawatha, R.A. de Mel Road being found inside a Kollupitiya bus a short distance away goes to prove that the rober had not carried it very far. From the day the award disappeared the media made a wide publicity about it. The robber has obviously been misled thinking that the award which Dr. Lester got was of a golden hue, it was thought of having been made of gold and in order to search for this robbery, the police had earlier taken steps to check CCTV footages of houses in the vicinity.

Incidentally tis award was bestowed on Dr. Lester James Peries in the year 2000 at the 31st International Indian Cinema Award Festival appreciating the service he had rendered to the cinema. This robbery in fact was an act of humiliation for the great artiste who died. During the period when investigations were underway with regard to this Golden Peacock Award, the police who scrutinised National Rupavahini camera were able to find the mobile phone of Dr. Lester James Peries was subjected to theft in his own home. It was later possible to get at the thief who robbed the that mobile phone while it was kept on top of an almirah.

The rented out house in which Dr. Lester lived in Bambalapitiya was situated on a small portion of land and obviously with guests and well-wishers rocking during funeral proceedings invariably created some congestion. This act of robbery took place taking all this moment.