By Atiya Firdo
2 accused with multiple prior cases finally arrested; valuables worth Rs 35 lakh seized, 11 cases cracked
Police have cracked a theft and car robbery syndicate operating across multiple districts, seizing valuables worth Rs 35 lakh. The arrest of two men involved in the theft of gold jewellery, silver coins, cars, two-wheelers, and mobile phones that is said to have solved around 11 cases across different police jurisdictions in Bengaluru city and beyond.
Crime & probe
The case was set in motion when a resident of Yelenahalli, Bannerghatta Main Road, filed a complaint on August 1, at the Hulimavu Police Station. The man said his two-wheeler parked outside his house on July 30 was stolen when he went out of town for a day.
Police officers pursued multiple leads and finally on August 26, two suspects were apprehended near Hulimavu Lake with the stolen two-wheeler.
The two have been identified as Ullas, alias Dati, and Chandru, alias Kariwad, of Nandini Layout. Ullas has 24 cases registered against him across the city and various rural districts, while Chandru faces 23 cases in all.
Upon questioning, it was revealed that the duo had been involved in
In addition, two cars and two two-wheelers, hidden in a vacant lot in Dodda Kammanahalli, were seized. Inside one of the cars, officers discovered 30 grams of silver coins, an iron rod used in the crimes, and cash totalling Rs 2,840.
The next day, police seized 40 grams of gold jewellery from another jewellery shop in Indiranagar. They also recovered two additional cars and one more two-wheeler, parked in a vacant lot in MK Doddy, Malavalli.
The haul
In total, the police seized 70 gm of gold jewellery, 30 gm of silver coins, four cars, four two-wheelers, the iron rod used for break-ins, and two mobile phones. The entire haul was valued at Rs 35 lakh.
While much of the stolen property has been recovered, police are still tracing the owners of one car and one two-wheeler.
The modus operandi
The accused would specifically target homes and vehicles left unattended, focusing on residential areas and the outskirts of the city. Using an iron rod to break locks, they would steal valuables and vehicles. After using the stolen gold and money, they abandoned the vehicles on any vacant land, avoiding further use of them.
Police suspect that the duo is connected to a larger criminal network operating in both urban and rural areas. Three other suspects involved in the crimes remain at large.
For its efforts in solving this case, the police team has been awarded a cash prize of Rs 10,000.
Thief with eye on villas
The police have arrested a man involved in a string of thefts targeting luxury villas across the city. The accused, who hails from Tripura, was nabbed by the Kothanur police, leading to the recovery of stolen items worth `21 lakh. Items seized from the man include 170 grams of gold jewellery, 32 high-end watches, 3,900 US dollars, and five mobile phones. The arrest has helped police crack nine theft cases across multiple police jurisdictions.
The first complaint against him was filed on September 7. The complainant had left the door of the upper floor open on August 15 night and discovered the next morning that a watch, mobile phone, and wallet containing 1,900 US dollars that he had placed on the dining table, were missing.
Investigating the case, police collected vital information from informants, eventually apprehending the accused near Gubbi Kas in Kothanur on September 12.
The accused has been identified as
