Bengaluru Shocker: Stranger Offers Tea To Elderly Woman On Bus, Steals Gold Chain

An elderly woman's journey to Mysuru turned into a nightmare after a stranger allegedly befriended her at a bus stand, offered her tea and stole her 29-gram gold chain after she fell asleep. Chennamma had left her home in Thimmanahalli, Doddaballapura, around 5.30 am on September 25 to visit her daughter in Mysuru. She reached the Satellite bus stand on Mysuru Road around 8am, purchased a ticket and boarded the bus.

Around 8.10 am, a man believed to be around 45 years old, dressed in black trousers and a white shirt, reportedly sat beside her. He placed his bag next to Chennamma and told her he was stepping out to get tea.

Around five minutes later, the man returned with two cups of tea and offered one to her. Although Chennamma initially refused, the stranger reportedly gained her confidence by telling her, “You are like my mother,” before starting up a conversation.

She eventually accepted the tea and even offered him a pomegranate.

Soon after drinking the tea, Chennamma fell asleep. When she woke up around 4pm, she found herself sitting on a chair at the bus stand and was shocked to discover that her gold chain, complete with a pendant and beads, was missing.

Chennamma reportedly suspected that the man had drugged her tea and taken advantage of her unconscious state to steal the jewellery. She informed her son, who arranged a car to bring her back home.

The following day, Chennamma approached Byatarayanapura police and lodged a complaint. A case was registered under BNS Sections 303 (theft) and 318 (cheating).

“We are checking CCTV footage in the bus stand. We are yet to find out how the woman, who was sitting on the bus, was found on a chair in the bus stand,” a senior police officer said.

Bengaluru woman alleges gold chain went missing at salon

In another jewellery-related complaint in Bengaluru, a 28-year-old woman allegedly lost a 25-gram gold chain worth around Rs 4 lakh after visiting a salon in Karthik Nagar near Donnenekundi.

Jennifer (name changed) told police that she visited the salon on September 19. According to her complaint, a staff member asked her two or three times to remove the gold chain she was wearing, wrap it in tissue paper and place it on a bed.

Jennifer allegedly forgot to collect the chain before leaving the salon. When she returned and asked about it, the receptionist, housekeeping in-charge, manager and another staff member allegedly told her they had not seen the jewellery.

She further alleged that salon staff refused to show her CCTV footage. When police later sought the footage, the staff allegedly refused to provide it to them as well.

Jennifer approached the police the following day. Four days later, a case was registered under Section 303 (theft) at HAL police station.

A senior police officer said notices had been issued to the salon staff as part of the investigation.