Viral: Rajasthan heist goes hilariously wrong as thief gets stuck in exhaust shaft

A would-be thief in Kota, Rajasthan, found himself in a comical predicament after getting stuck in an exhaust fan shaft during a midnight break-in. The bungled heist, which began on January 3, 2026, ended with the culprit dangling for nearly an hour before being rescued and arrested by police. His accomplice fled the scene.

It is popularly said that no matter how well planned a heist is, a thief always leaves his footprints behind, but imagine what would happen if the thief himself is left behind at the robbery scene?This is not a description from a comic chapter; it happened in reality in our own nation!A would-be thief turned a midnight robbery into a real-life comedy skit straight out of a Bollywood blockbuster, from the lanes of Kota, Rajasthan. What began as a sneaky break-in ended with the culprit dangling helplessly, caught in a spot no one saw coming. The video has gone viral ever since and has racked up millions of views, giving rise to memes and debates on home security gone hilariously right.

Heist hilariously goes wrong as the thief gets stuck in the exhaust shaft (Photo: Sachin Gupta/ X)

The bungled break-in

The ‘to-be heist’ kicked off late on January 3, 2026, when homeowner Subhash Kumar Rawat was away on a trip to Khatushyamji with his wife. According to India Today, they returned around 1 a.m. on January 4, and as his wife opened the main gate, it was only when the scooter’s headlights lit up the kitchen that the couple saw the thief wedged in the exhaust fan shaft, half in and half out.Police reports confirm the man entered to steal valuables but got trapped trying to squeeze through the narrow shaft. “While attempting to squeeze through the exhaust shaft, he got wedged and could not free himself,” stated officials, as quoted by India Today. Hearing noise, his accomplice bolted, abandoning him to dangle for nearly an hour.

Video goes viral amid chaos

The scene turned chaotic as locals gathered, trying to figure out the reason behind the bizarre sight. A video capturing the thief’s helpless struggle has exploded online, shared widely on platforms like Instagram and X.

Rescue and police probe

Borkheda jurisdiction police arrived around 1:30 a.m. after locals alerted them. Officers and residents worked together to pull the man free, then arrested him, according to an India Today report. They seized the car key from his pocket and impounded the vehicle with its white window curtains.An investigation is underway to nab the escaped accomplice and link the suspect to prior thefts in the area. No major loot was reported stolen, turning potential tragedy into a light-hearted win for the community.