JOIN USShe used her scholarly looks to steal
Mubina alias Mumtaz Banu (32), a resident of Pillanna Garden, Shivajinagar was arrested by Sadashivanagar police on Thursday. Mubina hoodwinked many and managed to sneak into the IISc campus and dozens of educational institutions, stealing ladies bags/purses. Once she got hold of these, she would head straight to the ATMs and next, go on a shopping spree.
The police officer, who raided Mubina's house said: "We found two bags full of ladies bags/purses, more than 300 debit/credit cards and lakhs of rupees worth transaction bills - gold, silver and household articles purchased through cards.
M R Chandrashekar, IISc security officer who cracked the case, told Deccan Herald that Sandhya, a research scholar from Molecular Biology department, had complained that her vanity bag was stolen. Within a short while, there was a message on her mobile phone that cash was withdrawn, followed by a purchase transaction -- Rs 44,000 worth of gold earrings.
"We took it seriously and went through the ‘electronic eye' installed in the department. The footages showed an outsider walking into the department and laying hands on the bag. We took out the printouts of the woman and circulated among our staff, especially at all the gates on the campus. A few days back, when there was a function, one of our security staffers, Mohan, identified Mubina walking into the campus. We caught hold of her and during interrogation when we showed her the footages, she spilled the beans,” said Chandrashekar.
The police said, Mubina claims to be a graduate and studied in Mount Carmel College. She speaks flawless English and her dressing sense is impeccable. Public should be aware and avoid scribbling the passwords behind the plastic cards, they added.
Earlier, Mubina was arrested for stealing plastic cards by various police stations in the city.
Two held for vehicle theft
The Chickpet police arrested a person in connection with vehicle theft on Wednesday and recovered four bikes worth Rs 1.50 lakh. The accused has been identified as Somashekhar Reddy of Guddahatti village in Attibele hobli of Anekal taluk. The accused had used duplicate keys to drive away bikes parked in parking lots and on roads in and around majestic area.
In another incident, the Halasuru Gate police arrested Sheikh Mohammad Riyaz of Nelamangala and recovered three cars worth Rs 13 lakh from him. Riyaz had used duplicate keys to drive away the cars parked in front of houses during nights in Bangalore. The police grew suspicious seeing him drive a car suspiciously. He admitted to the crime when the police grilled him.
Two arrested
The Sheshadripuram police recently arrested two persons for allegedly robbing a woman and recovered jewellry and two bikes worth Rs 1.05 lakh.
The accused, Satish Kumar of Gandhinagar and Nayab Rasool of Kempapura Dasarahalli, had robbed women in DJ Halli, Kodigehalli and Amruthalli.