In a disturbing case of deception, an 80-year-old woman from Basavanagudi was duped by a conman who used a fabricated wedding story to steal her gold bangles weighing around 50 grams.

Conman poses as acquaintance

According to the complaint, the accused arrived at the woman’s residence around 11:45 am on March 28, driving a Toyota Fortuner. Pretending to be a familiar face or distant relative, he engaged her in friendly conversation and gradually gained her trust.

To further convince her, he claimed that his wedding was scheduled for the following month and even invited her to attend, promising to gift her a sari.

Fake story used to gain trust

During the interaction, the man noticed the gold bangles on her hands and complimented them. He told her he wanted similar bangles made for his fiancée and persuaded her to accompany him to a jewellery shop to show the design.

When the elderly woman expressed difficulty walking due to leg pain, the accused offered to drive her in his vehicle and drop her back home. Trusting him, she agreed.

Clever distraction and theft

He drove her around the Mani Sports area but claimed there were no jewellery shops nearby and eventually brought her back home. He then suggested calling a jeweller to the house and asked her to hand over the bangles to show the design.

While distracting her by showing images of gold bars on his phone, he cleverly took possession of the bangles. Moments later, he asked her to step out of the vehicle and sped away.

Police begin investigation

The woman later realised the bangles were missing and filed a complaint with the police. A case has been registered under Sections 303 (theft) and 318 (cheating) of the BNS.

Police officials said they are analysing CCTV footage and using the vehicle registration number to trace the accused. Investigations are ongoing.

Growing concern over targeted fraud

The incident highlights a worrying trend of fraudsters targeting elderly individuals by exploiting trust and vulnerability. Authorities have urged citizens, especially senior residents, to remain cautious and avoid engaging with unknown persons