The Barke police of Mangaluru city have arrested Mohammed Imran NM (44), an interdistrict thief involved in 11 bag theft cases at bus stands, and recovered gold jewellery worth Rs6.5 lakh from his possession, officials said.
City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH stated that police also seized 46.3 grams of gold jewellery and Rs5,000 in cash from the accused, a resident of Madikeri.
On January 23 at around 7 pm, two women passengers and a senior citizen were seated on a bus bound for Bengaluru at the KSRTC bus stand in Bejai when miscreants stole a trolley bag containing 45 grams of gold ornaments and Rs20,000 in cash. Following a complaint, a case was registered at Barke Police Station under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was launched.
A special team, guided by ACP, Central Subdivision, and led by PSI Vinayak Toragal, tracked and arrested the suspect near Mangaluru Central Railway Station on Wednesday. The accused was presented before the court on Thursday and remanded in judicial custody.
Police described Imran as a habitual offender who targets bags containing valuables at bus stands. He has a total of 11 registered cases, including bag thefts in Dudda, Komanur, Hassan Extension, Hassan City, Channarayapatna Town, and Devarajnagar in Mysuru.
In addition, he is linked to several house theft cases at Shantigrama, Hassan Extension, and Dudda police stations in Hassan.