In a gated community packed with techies and startup founders in Bengaluru’s Electronics City Phase 2, residents were shocked to discover that a soft-spoken neighbour had been moonlighting as a thief, Times of India reported.
According to the report, the accused, 26-year-old Nitesh Subbu, originally from West Bengal, had been staying with his sister at GM Infinity apartment complex in Thirupalya, the same building where he quietly carried out a string of high-value thefts.
Police say Subbu targeted three unoccupied flats, stealing jewellery and cash worth over ₹60.4 lakh. Among the items recovered were 641 grams of gold, 56 grams of silver, diamond ornaments, and even platinum, the report added.
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Subbu, an unemployed graduate who previously worked for a real estate firm, carefully scoped out flats left locked for days. His most audacious break-in took place on July 3, when he burgled the home of 62-year-old Professor Suresh Iyer, who currently works in Dehradun.
According to police, Iyer’s flat had been locked for weeks, with only occasional visits from his wife. After a neighbour noticed the main door broken and alerted the family, Iyer’s nephew rushed to the flat and discovered that jewellery and valuables were missing. He filed a complaint with the Hebbagodi police on July 5.
{{/usCountry}}According to police, Iyer’s flat had been locked for weeks, with only occasional visits from his wife. After a neighbour noticed the main door broken and alerted the family, Iyer’s nephew rushed to the flat and discovered that jewellery and valuables were missing. He filed a complaint with the Hebbagodi police on July 5.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators traced CCTV footage from the complex and spotted a man wearing shorts and a T-shirt loitering outside multiple flats. Suspicion fell on Subbu, who confessed during interrogation.
Modus operandi
His method, police say, was simple but effective: Subbu would ring the doorbell of a flat he intended to rob. If no one responded, he’d check for hidden keys in shoe racks or flowerpots. If that didn’t work, he used an iron rod to force the door open.
On June 22, he is believed to have carried out two other thefts using the same method. The total haul recovered from his possession includes 621 grams of gold, 15.8 grams of diamond jewellery, 4.3 grams of platinum, 56 grams of silver, and ₹28,000 in cash.
Hebbagodi police have taken Subbu into custody, and further investigation is underway to determine if he was involved in similar thefts elsewhere in the city.
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