BENGALURU: Miscreants indulging in attention diversion to steal valuables is rampant in the city these days. Gangs involved in this type of crime have been active again in the last one month.These gangs use different tactics to divert the attention of victims before stealing their valuables. City police have requested people to be cautious.Recently, a homemaker and a businessman fell prey to attention diverters in Malleswaram, just a stone’s throw from the police station, and Doddakammanahalli, respectively.
On March 16, at 5.10 pm, Gowri Nagaraj, 45, a resident of Yalahanka New Town, lost two iPhones, four gold rings, three Lakshmi pendants, `30,000 in cash, ID proofs and bank locker keys. Gowri was shopping in Malleswaram along with her family friend. On 5th Cross, Gowri’s friend, who was driving the car, stopped and told her he will be back after smoking a cigarette.
Gowri was in her car when a man came up to her and said some money had fallen on the road. “I though it was my friend’s money, so I kept my bag on the driver’s seat and got down. I found `10 on the road and became suspicious, as my friend didn’t have any change. When I got back to the car, I found my bag missing,” Gowri said.
In another incident, Piyush Dinesh Bhai Rudani, 26, a resident of Hongasandra, went to Axis Bank in Kodichikkanahalli on March 15 and withdrew `1 lakh. He noticed a man watching him. He kept the cash bag on the fuel tank cover of his bike and left. When he was in Dodda Kammanahalli around 2.30 pm, four persons on bikes told him that his money had fallen down. Rudani went to pick it up, but returned to find his bag missing, and those who alerted him.
Additional commissioner of police (East) Seemanth Kumar Singh, said, “We have got some clues on the gang based on CCTV camera footage, and are making efforts to nab them.” According to him, the miscreants use different methods — throwing itchy substances, money on the road, or asking queries like directions. Singh says the gang comprises 8-10 persons.
DON’T KEEP VALUABLES IN VEHICLES: COPS
According to Seemanth Kumar Singh, additional commissioner of police (East), police are meeting with the public and spreading awareness about attention diverters. “We are also visiting banks and other places where gangs have struck, asking bank officials to put banners to educate people on the crimes,” he said. People should not keep their valuables in two-wheeler side boxes or on fuel tank covers. With cars, people should not leave anything on dashboards or on seats,” said Isha Pant, deputy commissioner of police (south-east).