Bengaluru: ‘Doorbell thief’ arrested for robbing flats in his own apartment complex

A real estate agent dubbed the "doorbell thief" was arrested in Bengaluru for robbing flats in his own apartment complex. He rang doorbells to check if residents were home before breaking in and stealing valuables worth ₹60.46 lakh.

Bengaluru: A real estate agent has been arrested by Hebbagodi police for committing a series of burglaries in the same apartment complex where he lived. The accused, Nitesh Subbu, a resident of GM Infinite Apartments in Tirupalya, was caught with stolen valuables worth ₹60.46 lakh.

Valuables worth over ₹60 lakh recovered

Police recovered 621 grams of gold jewellery, 15.79 grams of diamonds, 56.2 grams of silver, and ₹28,000 in cash from the accused. The arrest was made following a string of theft complaints from the same apartment complex.

CCTV footage leads to breakthrough

Hebbagodi police, led by Inspector Somashekhar and Sanjeev Nayak, reviewed CCTV footage from the GM Infinite Apartments. A suspicious individual caught on video led to further questioning of residents, ultimately leading to the arrest of Nitesh.

The calling bell trick

Originally from West Bengal, Nitesh Subbu lived with his sister, a software engineer. Previously employed in the real estate sector, he had been jobless and resorted to burglary for quick money. Using the layout of the large residential complex to his advantage, he would ring doorbells at night. If anyone answered, he would leave. If not, he would break in and steal valuables.

Sister unaware of his crimes

The GM Infinite complex has over 1,000 flats, all with interconnected sections. Nitesh exploited this setup to move discreetly and burglarise homes. His sister, police say, was completely unaware of his activities, which were conducted quietly at night.