Bihar-based 'bedsheet gang' busted in Bengaluru: Eight arrested for high-value thefts

Hailing from East Champaran district in Bihar, this gang of eight had been causing havoc in the city for several days.

A notorious theft syndicate, known as the "Bedsheet Gang," has been apprehended by Bengaluru police after executing a series of sophisticated heists across the city.

The gang had come to Bengaluru about 15 days ago with a well-planned modus operandi.

Hailing from East Champaran district in Bihar, this gang of eight had been causing havoc for several days, stealing valuables worth millions. The gang's criminal activities were tracked by Bengaluru police using CCTV evidence, News 18 reported.

The gang, comprising Immiyaz Alam (30), Javed Alam (32), Pawan Shah (29), Muneel Kumar (30), Rizwan Devan (32), Salim Alam (30), Rameshwar Giri (40), and Suraj Kumar (34), had come to Bengaluru about 15 days ago with a well-planned modus operandi. During the day, they would roam the city, scoping out mobile stores and other targets, blending in as ordinary customers. They meticulously learned the layout of the stores, identifying where the most valuable items were kept, the report added.

Bedsheet as a disguise

At night, they would strike with surgical precision. Using a bedsheet held horizontally in front of the shop, three gang members would create a diversion, blocking the view of passersby and store owners. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang would silently remove the rolling shutters of the shops and steal high-end mobile phones and other electronic goods.

One of their most significant heists occurred at a Samsung showroom in Nagavarpally recently, where they stole mobile phones worth ₹22 lakhs. This act was captured on CCTV, which later became crucial evidence in tracking down the gang members. After the thefts, the stolen goods were transported to Nepal, where they were sold through underground channels.

In addition to the seized mobile phones worth lakhs of rupees, police discovered that the gang had previously committed similar crimes in Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, where they had even stolen from police stations.