High-flyer burglar caught; took flights to Bengaluru to commit crimes

A notorious 26-year-old burglar, who used to come to the city by flights from New Delhi and burgle houses in the city, has finally landed in the police net.
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

BENGALURU:A notorious 26-year-old burglar, who used to come to the city by flights from New Delhi and burgle houses in the city, has finally landed in the police net. Posing as a student, he used to sound door bells to check if the houses he targeted were occupied during the day and target them at night. He was wanted in a score of burglary cases since 2014. The accused is Harman Khan alias Sonu, a resident of Meena Bazaar in Delhi.

Harman Khan
Harman Khan

A senior police officer said Sonu is involved in 20 burglary cases in the city and loot worth `45 lakh, including 2 kg gold and silver ornaments, were recovered form him by the Jeevan Bima Nagar police. Two of his partners in crime are still at large.

During interrogation, Sonu is said to have confessed that he used to come to Bengaluru by flight and stay for a few months before committing the crimes. He used to take the help of his associates to sell the stolen valuables in Chor Bazaar in Delhi to make easy money. While flying back to Delhi, he used to submit fake bills for the stolen goods, which he created, before the officials during security checks at the airport.

Sonu used to rent posh flats in apartments around the city to avoid suspicion from residents and the police alike and generally carried a notebook in his hand. He identified locked houses (independent and flats) by posing as a student during the day and ring the bell to confirm whether any person lived in a house. Then he used to target the houses along with his associates, break open the doors and then burgle the place. Within a couple of days of committing the burglary, he used to fly back to Delhi.

He had taken several SIM cards by providing fake documents as the police used to track tower locations as soon as the burglary incident was reported to them. To escape from the police, he refrained from using the same SIM card twice.

Recently, he had committed a burglary at Rajarajeshwari Nagar and police tracked Sonu’s phone call details of two SIM cards to a location in Delhi, where a similar case was reported. Based on a tip-off, a special team of police nabbed him in Delhi and brought him to Bengaluru.

Was arrested in 2014

Sonu was earlier arrested by Ashoknagar police for committing a similar crime in 2014. Soon after he was released on bail, he continued his habit of leading a lavish lifestyle. The city police have solved 20 burglary cases with his arrest and have gathered information about his associates to nab them.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com