BENGALURU: A 41-year-old man who had stolen over Rs 1crore worth gold ornaments belonging to a US-based doctor from a marriage hall on Old Madras Road at Bidarahalli, was arrested by the Avalahalli police. The accused was wanted in five similar cases, four of which were committed at wedding halls in Avalahalli and one in Bagalur police limits. Police have recovered around 340gm of gold ornaments and a car used in the crime, together worth around Rs 47 lakh.
The accused, B Aseef, a resident of Bidarahalli near Kadugodi, was selling credit cards and SIM cards before he got addicted to online gaming. After quitting his job, he became a full-time thief targeting wedding halls by posing as a guest.
“The accused is married and has three children. Due to his addiction for online gaming and to take care of his family, he claims to have started stealing ornaments from guest rooms at wedding halls. He would enter unlocked rooms and steal valuables.
A few of the gold ornaments which the accused had sold and pledged at two jewellery shops in Hoskote have been recovered. He sold most of the stolen gold ornaments to arrange money for online games and gambling,” said an officer.
On July 8, the accused was caught inside a marriage hall near Katamnallur cross by a guest after he was seen roaming suspiciously near guest rooms on the first floor. He had committed thefts at wedding halls and a farmhouse in Katamnallur Cross, Budigere Cross and Bagalur.
He had stolen the US-based doctor’s gold ornaments weighing around 725gm when she had come for her nephew’s wedding in the last week of April 2026. A case of theft under Section 305 of BNS was registered against the accused in all the five cases.