The thefts occurred when all the occupants, who belong to the same family, had gone to attend a relative’s wedding reception outside the city.

Detectives swiftly identified the suspect with the help of fingerprint evidence, Madinah police spokesman Brig. Mohsen Al-Raddadi said. The building was behind the main police office in Yanbu. The thief broke down the doors of the empty apartments, Al-Raddadi added.

Investigations are also under way to see if the suspect was involved in other burglaries reported recently in nearby districts.

The occupants believe that the thief could not have planned the crime without knowing in advance that none of them would be present in the building on that particular day.

They added that he carried out his job with such ease and peace of mind that he even found time to eat the sweetmeat kept in one of the apartments.