Thief Poses As Techie, Steals 12 Phones, 7 Laptops From Bengaluru PG While Residents Sleep

A thief allegedly pulled off a midnight burglary at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Bengaluru’s Chikkabegur, walking away with 12 mobile phones and seven laptops while residents slept inside their rooms. The burglary came to light only the next morning, leaving 11 inmates shocked to discover that their expensive electronic devices and other valuables had been stolen.

The intruder reportedly exploited multiple unlocked room doors inside the multi-storey building before quietly making his escape with the stolen gadgets.

Lenin, 20, a student staying at Sri Venkateshwara Luxury Co-live PG, told police that he went to bed around 11 pm on September 22. When he woke up at around 5.30 am the following day, he discovered that his mobile phone was missing.

A search of his room and neighbouring rooms soon revealed that several other inmates had also fallen victim to the theft. The stolen valuables included a MacBook, laptops, smartphones and an iPhone, all belonging to 11 residents.

The inmates also reported that other valuables were missing. After discovering the burglary, they alerted the PG management and examined CCTV footage before approaching the police.

According to a police officer, the thief was dressed like a software engineer and carried a bag when he entered the building during the night.

Police said a small gate at the PG is kept open at night to allow residents returning from work to enter after their shifts. The building had no security guard, while the person in charge was reportedly asleep in his room at the time of the incident.

The thief allegedly moved from one room to another during the night and found several doors unlocked from inside. He reportedly stuffed the laptops and mobile phones into his bag, reached the ground floor and fled from the building.

After being alerted, Begur police rushed to the PG and examined the CCTV footage. However, the camera quality was reportedly poor and failed to clearly capture the suspect’s face.

Cameras installed in neighbouring buildings provided crucial clues, indicating that the suspect was heading towards Tamil Nadu. Police then used technical analysis to track his movements and deployed a team to trace him.

Initially, police suspected that the thief would travel towards Hosur or Krishnagiri and followed that route. However, the suspect, who was travelling by bus, continued towards Chennai.

The police team followed him to Chennai and, with the assistance of local police, searched a market near Marina Beach. However, the suspect managed to evade them and disappeared into the crowded marketplace.

Local police later informed the Begur team that the stolen laptops and mobile phones may have been dismantled and sold as spare parts in the market. With more than 1,000 shops in the area, recovering the stolen devices could prove difficult.

A case has been registered under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police have advised the PG owner to strengthen security by installing high-quality CCTV cameras and biometric access systems if hiring a security guard is not financially feasible.