BTech grad working in Whitefield held for stealing gold chains as a side hustle

Bengaluru: A 25-year-old BTech graduate has been arrested for stealing gold chains from jewellery stores by diverting the attention of the shop owners. 

Richard, a native of Virajpet and reportedly employed at a private company in Whitefield, allegedly stole jewellery as a part-time job. He was apprehended near the Majestic bus stand on May 29, the police said. 

Following his arrest, the police seized 134.11 grams of gold jewellery, worth Rs 13.41 lakh, and solved two other thefts. 

On March 18, the owner of a jewellery shop on Sampige Road, Malleswaram, said in a police complaint that a man posing as a customer entered his shop and requested to see gold chains. 

While the owner was occupied arranging other items, the suspect allegedly diverted the attention of the shop's lone staffer and fled with three gold chains weighing 110 grams. 

Following an investigation involving various leads and intelligence, the police located and detained Richard.

During interrogation, he confessed to the Malleswaram theft and also admitted to committing a similar crime at another jewellery shop within the Byatarayanapura police station limits. 

Richard was produced before the court on May 30 and remanded in police custody for 11 days. Further interrogation revealed that he had sold the stolen gold chains,  from both incidents, to his brother and jewellery shops in Srirampura and Kengeri. 

Acting on this information, the police recovered the total of 134.11 grams of gold chains from his brother and the respective jewellery shop owners. Richard was again produced before the court on June 9 and has since been remanded in judicial custody.