MADURAI: Five days after breaking into film director M Manikandan’s house and stealing valuables, burglars returned what is arguably his most valuable asset – silver medals that he won for his films, ‘Kaaka Muttai’ and ‘Kadaisi Vivasayi’.

The medals were kept in a polythene bag, which tied to a pole kept near the front gate of his house. It also contained a letter, in which the as-yet-unidentified thieves said, “Sir, forgive us; you deserve this for all your hard work.”

Madurai SP Dongare Pravin Umesh said two special teams have been formed to nab the accused. The house where the theft occurred on February 7 is located in a remote area, he said, and added that the teams were checking whether CCTV surveillance cameras were installed in the vicinity.

Usilampatti DSP Nallu said the Usilampatti Town police received a complaint from Manikandan’s driver Jayakumar on February 7 that five sovereigns, Rs 1 lakh in cash, two medals, and a mobile phone were stolen from the locked house.

The director was not in the house, which remained locked for almost two months. Acting on the house break-in complaint, the police filed a case under Sections 457 and 380 of IPC. Officials inspected the spot and held inquiries, while fingerprint experts examined the scene of the crime and a sniffer dog was also pressed into service.

Even as the police intensified patrol, the burglars managed to come back to the house and return the medals.