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Stolen AirPods reveal location of ‘313’ tattoo gang in Bengaluru, busted: Report
Karnataka Police arrested a four-member burglary gang with matching “313” tattoos after stolen AirPods led to their location in Bengaluru.
A set of stolen AirPods ended up being the unlikely clue that helped Karnataka Police bust a four-member burglary gang operating around Bengaluru. The group, which includes a woman, was arrested just hours after committing their second house break-in.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Purushottam M (22), Darshan (20), Chandru (24), and Saubhagya B H (24), all residents of Davanagere. Interestingly, the gang shares matching tattoos: the words “Teach Peace” across their chests and “313” inked on their right hands, The Indian Express reported.
How the gang was caught
The breakthrough came after one of the accused, Purushottam, began using a pair of AirPods stolen from their first burglary. When the AirPods connected to the internet, they pinged the location to the original owner, Divya Sri, who immediately alerted the police.
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Police tracked the signal to an apartment in Kudlu, where the gang was hiding out, leading to their swift arrest, said the report.
A string of thefts
The gang’s first target was a home in Palana Jogihalli, where they struck during the night of September 16-17, making off with 113 grams of gold and a pair of AirPods from Divya's residence.
Their second burglary took place just days later, on September 21, when they broke into the home of Bhavya C and stole gold earrings.
Police said the group had rented a flat in Electronics City and used it as their base of operations, according to the report. Their strategy was simple: they would travel to outlying areas by train, turn off their phones to avoid tracking, and scout for isolated houses to rob.
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A notorious past
All four members have extensive criminal histories. According to the Doddaballapura Rural Police, each of them has at least 10 prior cases. Purushottam even has a murder case registered against him from when he was a minor. While most of the group had only basic education, Darshan holds a BBA degree, the report noted.
Police stated that Purushottam, Darshan, and Chandru had previously been arrested by Tumakuru police, but were released on bail, allegedly arranged by Saubhagya.
The accused have since been remanded to judicial custody, and investigations are ongoing to uncover more thefts linked to the group.
