Bengaluru’s outer construction zones are grappling with an unusual menace — organised scrap thieves. These culprits operate through a calculated network, using elderly men as discreet scouts to plan their loot.
The gang’s modus operandi is straightforward but effective. An elderly “spotter” casually inspects under-guarded construction sites, identifying easy targets. Hours later — typically between 2:30 am and 4:00 am — a van arrives carrying men disguised as labourers, who swiftly load building materials before vanishing.
Theft incidents have been especially rampant in north Bengaluru, where development is rapid. Police sources report over 15 such cases in recent weeks in areas like Dasarahalli, Bagalagunte, Peenya, Soladevanahalli, and Madanayakanahalli. With construction material prices soaring and stolen goods easy to resell, thieves profit quickly — while police often place these cases low on their priority list, considering them “low-value.”
Mithun, a scaffolding supplier from Peenya, lost 240 scaffolding sheets in a single night — a ₹11.5 lakh hit in just 10 days. “We saw an old man loitering, then one night a tempo came, and everything disappeared in minutes,” he recalled. When caught, the man pretended to be drunk and ignorant.
Despite CCTV footage and multiple complaints, enforcement has been weak. A partial success came when Bagalagunte police recovered 130 stolen sheets in a pre-dawn raid on an interstate scrap racket — but no arrests were made, and no FIRs filed.
Frustrated, contractors are now guarding sites like fortresses. “These gangs are fearless and growing bolder,” said Ramamurthy, a Dasarahalli builder.