Pramesh S Jain
The KR Puram police have arrested a couple for allegedly stealing gold ornaments from women at crowded places such as temples,fairs and public buses, and have recovered 398 grams of gold jewellery worth Rs.60 lakh.
Senior officer told reporters that,the complainant,a resident of the KR Puram police station limits,lodged a complaint on April 4, 2025,stating that her gold jewellery was stolen during a visit to a temple.
As per the complaint,on April 3,2025,the complainant had visited Mariyamma Temple at Devasandra along with her family.
After offering prayers and collecting prasada,she noticed that her 30-gram gold mangalya chain,which was worn around her neck,had gone missing.It was suspected that unidentified persons had stolen the jewellery amid the crowd.
A case of theft was registered at the KR Puram Police Station,following which a detailed investigation was taken up.
Acting on credible information and technical inputs,the police traced the couple identified as Gayathri,33,and Srikanth,42,residents of Kamasandra in Bengaluru south on December 23, 2025,at a bus stand area in Kammannahalli.
During interrogation,the accused confessed to their involvement in the case and revealed that they,along with three other associates from outside the state, targeted women by mingling with them during religious fairs,temple visits and bus travel,and stole gold ornaments.
The police further revealed that part of the stolen gold was pledged at a bank in Hebbagodi,while some jewellery was sold at a jewellery shop in Mysuru.
Based on their confession,the police recovered the stolen valuables pledged at the Hebbagodi bank was recovered.
Subsequently,on January 23,2026,40 grams of gold jewellery sold at a Mysuru jewellery shop was also recovered.The total recovery stands at 398 grams of gold jewellery valued at Rs.60,00,000.
The accused couple was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
With the arrest of the couple,the police have detected six theft cases,including,Three cases at KR Puram Police Station,One case at Avalahalli Police Station,One case at Hoskote Police Station (Bengaluru Rural District),One case at Kolar Town Police Station.
