In a shocking twist to a recent burglary case, Bommanahalli police have arrested two women — Shabreen Taj (38) and Neelam alias Neelu (22) — for breaking into a house in Garvebhavi Palya, southeast Bengaluru. The duo, both residents of DJ Halli, were caught with 130 grams of stolen gold worth Rs11 lakh and an auto-rickshaw used during the crime.
The investigation began after Pichandi (56), a cab driver, reported a burglary at his residence on March 18. He told the police that he left for work at 8:30 a.m., and his wife locked up the house and left by 10:30 a.m. The couple returned home around 8:45 p.m. only to find the front door ajar and their valuables missing. The thieves had forced open an almirah, scattering clothes and taking off with Rs3.9 lakh in gold and Rs3 lakh in cash.
CCTV footage provided crucial leads, helping police zero in on the suspects. The duo were caught near Adugodi signal in early April. Upon interrogation, they admitted to burgling multiple homes in Mico Layout and Bommanahalli police jurisdictions.
Neelam often disguised herself in men’s clothing, while her accomplice Shabreen posed as a passenger in their auto-rickshaw, which was bought specifically for these thefts. Once they identified a target house, they would break in using an iron rod and escape with valuables.
Further investigations revealed that the stolen gold had been pledged with a jeweller in DJ Halli. Police successfully recovered the ornaments.
Both women have criminal histories — arrested in April last year by Bagalagunte police, they were later released on bail. Married but living separately from their husbands, both are school dropouts who allegedly used their loot to finance lavish lifestyles.
