18-yr-old graphic designer arrested for theft, claims AI took his job

Indore: An 18-year-old graphic designer, who claimed to have lost his job due to AI (artificial intelligence), has been arrested with his doctor-aspirant woman friend for allegedly stealing jewellery worth Rs 16 lakh, police said.

The teen duo told police that they were inspired by the 2005 film ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shrikrishna Lalchandani on Thursday.

They allegedly stole gold, silver, and diamond jewellery worth Rs 16.17 lakh from a shop in Indore’s Rau police station area on the night of December 22, the official told reporters.

All the stolen valuables were recovered from their possession after their arrest in Bhopal, where the two had fled.

Without disclosing the identities of the accused, DCP Lalchandani said, “Both are 18 years old. The young man is a graphic designer, while the woman is preparing for NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test). The two have known each other since childhood.

“During interrogation, the young man told us that he used to work part-time as a graphic designer in an IT company, but lost his job due to the company’s adoption of artificial intelligence technology, and he was finding it difficult to make ends meet,” the official added.

The accused, who come from economically weak background, claimed to have planned the theft after watching ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, he said.

“The accused told the police that they tried to sell the stolen jewellery, but potential buyers, thinking they were children, wouldn’t offer the right price. So they had decided to sell it after the Christmas holidays,” the DCP said.