Rs 71,100 stolen in serial thefts

Incident in a complex at M G Koppal in Hebbal sends cops into a tizzy

The city police, who were heaving a sigh of relief after a ‘crime-free’ Dasara, were sent into a tizzy, on Wednesday, after 13 shops at H D Complex at Manchegowdana Koppal, Hebbal, were found burgled in a series of thefts, in Vijayanagar police limits.

The thefts, suspected to have taken place between 2 am and 3 am, saw cash totalling only Rs 71,100 stolen. Miscreants have broke opened the shutters of the shops, before decamping with the cash.

The highest of Rs 22,000 was stolen from Ramdev Textiles, owned by Raghuram; Rs 10,000 each was lifted from Ashapura Book Stores of Paras, Bhyraveshwara Mobile Stores owned by Ramesh and Sai Mobile Centre belonging to Nadeesh; while Rs 7,000 was stolen at Sri Venkateshwara Provision Stores of Ramesh. That apart, Rs 5,000 was stolen from Hanumantha Shetty’s Janani Medical Stores, Rs 3,000 from Mahaveer Electricals, Rs 2,000 each from Sri Venkateshwara Stores and Annapoorna Medical Stores. At Handloom World of R Satish, Rs 100 was reportedly stolen.

The miscreants have also made a failed bid, by striking at three more shops near the burglary site, including an electronic goods and furniture shop.

According to the watchman of a neighbouring under-construction building, some noise was heard during the wee hours. He said, he feared to venture out at that time. Adding credence to his version, a CCTV camera installed at a nearby building has captured the pictures of two to three vehicles arriving at the burglary site.

Police claim to have taken precautionary measures, especially after serial thefts were registered in Lakshmipuram and Vijayanagar police limits. At Ballal Circle, in Lakshmipuram limits, as many as seven shops had been broke opened, forcing the police to issue do’s and don’ts to shopkeepers. Here too, Vijayanagar police claim to have instructed the shopkeepers, whose shops were victimised, to install CCTV cameras, besides taking home the cash and also switching on the lights in front of the shop. But, the shopkeepers had allegedly ignored them, the investigators claim.

The investigators suspect the handiwork of the same gang, involved in a burglary spree in the recent days, behind the incident.

Cyclist killed

A 60-year-old bicycle rider was killed on the spot as he was knocked down and run over by a two-wheeler near a petrol bunk on the Mysore-Hunsur road in the city on Wednesday.

The victim has been identified as Siddappa, a mason by profession.

 He was pedalling towards Vijayanagar after work, when the incident occurred. V V Puram traffic police have taken the bike rider, identified as Karthik, an employee of an automobile company, into custody.