Bengaluru police crack down on notorious duo for stealing over 10,000 pairs of branded shoes over seven years: Report

Bengaluru police have arrested two seasoned criminals for running a large-scale theft ring specializing in stealing branded shoes from apartments and temples.

In a major breakthrough, the Vidyaranyapura police in Bengaluru have arrested two individuals involved in a long-running theft ring that had been targeting apartment complexes and temples for over seven years.

The two men were found to possess an astonishing 715 pairs of high-end shoes at their residence.

The accused have been identified as Gangadhar and Yellappa, who were apprehended on Wednesday after an extensive investigation, during which the police uncovered a huge haul of stolen goods valued at approximately ₹10 lakh, The New Indian Express reported.

The two men, who had been swiping branded shoes from various locations, were found to possess an astonishing 715 pairs of high-end shoes at their residence. The seized footwear represents only a fraction of the estimated 10,000 pairs they had stolen over the years, the report said. Alongside the shoes, the police also recovered two stolen gas cylinders.

Gangadhar and Yellappa had devised a methodical scheme to carry out their thefts. Operating primarily at night, the duo would navigate the city in an auto rickshaw, targeting residential buildings and temples. Once they stole the shoes, they would meticulously clean and then resell them at Sunday bazaars and in tourist hotspots in cities like Ooty and Puducherry, the report added.

The break in the case came after a theft at a house in BEL Layout in Vidyaranyapura, where the miscreants had stolen shoes and the two gas cylinders. The homeowner reported the incident on Monday, prompting the police to review CCTV footage from the area. The footage revealed the auto rickshaw used in the theft, which led the police to identify and arrest the suspects.