A couple, Gayatri (33) and her husband Srikanth (42), have been arrested for allegedly stealing gold chains from devotees and commuters at crowded places, with recovered loot valued at around Rs 60 lakh.
The duo, residents of Sampigenagar in Kammasandra and natives of HD Kote in Mysuru district, came under police surveillance on December 23 last year following a complaint by Lakshmamma (45), who lost her 30-gram gold chain while collecting prasadam at Mariyamma temple in Devasandra.
During interrogation, the couple confessed to multiple thefts at temples, village fairs, and BMTC buses, using cutters to snip chains from unsuspecting victims.
Police said Gayatri and Srikanth led a lavish lifestyle, with Gayatri reportedly spending nearly Rs 1 lakh per month on beauty products and parlours. The stolen gold was melted, remade into ornaments, and pledged at banks and jewellery shops.
The accused have been remanded in judicial custody pending further investigation.
