B’luru: Two arrested for theft by diverting attention!

Bengaluru:‎‎ Byadarahalli police have arrested two persons of Tamil Nadu origin for allegedly stealing money from victims by diverting their attention.‎

The accused, ‎Karthik (35) and Gopi (37), both natives of Chennai, have been arrested. Cash worth Rs 5.65 lakhs, two motorbikes, and two mobile phones used in the crime have been seized, police added.

‎On March 4, Jayaram, a real estate dealer from Tunganagar, was carrying cash from a land sale in his car. The accused, approached him on a bike on Andrahalli road and diverted his attention by saying the car’s tyre had punctured.  Thereafter, the duo snatched the bag full of cash kept on the car seat and fled.

Based on the complaint by the realtor, the police arrested the duo.

During questioning, the accused confessed that they ambushed people who were returning from banks, sub-registrar’s offices, and financial establishments where people would fetch or carry cash. They would follow anyone carrying money on their motorbike and strike at an opportune moment, diverting their attention and fleeing with the cash, police said.

With the arrest of the accused, five cases — registered at Basaveshwaranagar, Chandra Layout, and Byadarahalli police stations — have been solved, police said.

The accused were part of a gang of professional thieves. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest others members of the gang, police said.