Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 4: Bengaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly carrying out a series of laptop thefts at paying guest (PG) facilities in Whitefield, Bengaluru, and recovered 15 stolen laptops worth Rs 10 lac from Tamil Nadu, officials said.
The accused has been identified as Santhosh, who was arrested following a complaint lodged on October 18, 2025, by a resident of a PG accommodation reporting the theft of a laptop and two mobile phones from his room.
Police said a breakthrough in the case came on February 11 after they received a tip-off through the Namma-112 helpline about a man behaving suspiciously near a PG facility in Pattandur Agrahara. A patrol team rushed to the spot and detained him. Subsequent fingerprint analysis confirmed that he was a history-sheeter.
During interrogation, Santhosh reportedly confessed to targeting PG facilities and other shared accommodation, stealing laptops and mobile phones when occupants were away.
“The accused has previous cases of laptop and mobile phone theft registered against him in the city. He primarily targeted accommodation facilities, especially paying guest hostels, where shared rooms are often not securely locked,” a police officer said.
He was produced before a court and initially remanded in police custody. Further investigation revealed that the stolen electronic items were transported to his native village, Udayarajapalayam, in Ambur taluk of Tamil Nadu, where they were allegedly sold.
Between February 15 and 21, a police team recovered 15 stolen laptops of various brands from Tamil Nadu.
With Santhosh’s arrest, four laptop theft cases registered at the Whitefield police station have been solved. He has now been remanded in judicial custody.
Police have advised PG facility owners to strengthen security arrangements by installing fingerprint access systems to restrict entry to authorised residents. Authorities also recommended providing separate keys for shared rooms instead of a single common key and urged residents to ensure that doors are properly locked at all times.