BENGALURU: In a strange robbery, a man broke into a mobile shop, stark naked, and made off with at least 85 mobile phones.
The robbery took place at Hanuman Telecom Mobile Shop, opposite Seva Health Care on Hongasandra Main Road. Between 1.30am and 3am on May 9, the thief drilled a hole through a wall and crawled in, wearing only a mask. The crime was captured on CCTV from a neighbouring shop.
The neighbouring shop owner, Vasan Ram, discovered the robbery while reviewing CCTV footage, and informed the mobile shop owner Dinesh, who was in Rajasthan.
Police have since arrested the thief, who is from Assam, and recovered the stolen phones.
“The mobiles are worth around Rs 25 lakh. The accused also took Rs 30,000 from the cash box. Since I was away, Vasan filed the police complaint. There is a vacant plot behind my shop. The thief used a chisel and hammer to drill the hole. It was only after reviewing CCTV footage that I realised he was completely naked,” Dinesh said.
And the reason for nudity? The thief didn’t go naked for a lark, but because his clothes kept getting caught while trying to squeeze through the hole. “He never intended to be naked for the crime. His clothes were getting caught so he removed them and entered the shop.
After exiting, he put his clothes back on and left. His movements were captured on CCTV cameras in the vicinity, leading to his arrest,” said an officer. Bommanahalli police registered a case of theft and are investigating further.