Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 5: The Bengaluru city police have cracked a major mobile phone theft racket linked to the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium held on March 28, apprehending 13 individuals, including nine juveniles, and recovering 75 mobile phones.
The case was registered at Cubbon Park police station following multiple complaints from spectators on the day of the match. Police said 70 of the recovered phones were stolen, while five belonged to the accused and were used to coordinate the offences.
The first breakthrough came on March 31, when one of the key accused, Shubham Kumar (26), was apprehended along with seven minors. Based on their interrogation, police recovered 21 stolen mobile phones. Kumar was produced before a court and taken into police custody, while the minors were sent to a government observation home on the directions of the Juvenile Justice Board.
Subsequently, three more accused—Eshal Kumar (23), Sanjeeth Kumar (24), and Sohan Kumar—were apprehended along with two minors, taking the total number of those held to 13. The three adult accused were produced before the court and remanded in police custody.
On April 3, further interrogation led to the recovery of additional stolen devices, pushing the total number of seized phones to 75.
Investigations revealed that the accused, all hailing from Jharkhand, operated as a coordinated gang. They allegedly wore RCB jerseys to blend in with the crowd and targeted spectators in densely crowded areas inside and around the stadium.
According to police, the gang gained entry into the stadium using tickets that were either stolen from spectators or procured through unauthorised channels. The accused allegedly carried out thefts at multiple locations, including inside the stadium, near entry and exit gates, outside the premises, and around nearby metro stations.
Police sources said the minors were brought to Bengaluru by a handler for the operation and were paid Rs 5,000 each to steal mobile phones, with their travel, food, and accommodation arranged by the gang.
“The accused coordinated and directed the movement of the minors brought to Bengaluru for the thefts,” a police source said, adding that Shubham Kumar is believed to be the ‘mukhiya’ or key handler of the group.
Investigators also suspect links to similar mobile theft cases reported during IPL matches in Chennai and Mumbai. Police teams have been sent to both cities to gather further information and establish possible inter-city connections.
Further investigation is under way, and efforts are ongoing to identify other members of the network and return the recovered phones to their rightful owners.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh appealed to the public to remain vigilant. “We are strengthening our crime teams, increasing CCTV coverage, and displaying cautionary messages, including on screens during intervals,” he said.