The Halasuru police have arrested a 19-year-old school dropout for allegedly drilling through the wall of a jewellery shop in Bengaluru and stealing silver ornaments worth ₹12.5 lakh.
The accused, identified as Teja from Shankarapuram in Tamil Nadu, was arrested following an investigation that relied on CCTV footage and local intelligence.
Shop wall drilled to carry out theft
According to police, the theft took place on the night of April 29 at a shop on Car Street in Halasuru.
Investigators said Teja allegedly used a wall-cutting tool to make a hole through the old cement-brick wall of the shop before entering the premises. He then escaped with nearly 10 kg of silver ornaments.
A theft case was registered, and police launched an investigation to trace the accused.
CCTV footage leads police to suspect
Officials analysed CCTV footage and gathered local intelligence before identifying Teja as the prime suspect. He was arrested from Shankarapuram on May 20.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime. Police said he had no previous criminal record but had dropped out of school and committed the theft to meet his personal expenses.
Investigators also learnt that Teja had previously visited Bengaluru to meet a relative and had noticed the old shop, which he later targeted.
Stolen silver partly recovered
Police said the accused admitted to selling the stolen silver ornaments to a jewellery shop in Madanur, Tamil Nadu.
Acting on his information, officers recovered around 5 kg of silver ornaments from the jewellery shop on June 1. Teja was later produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody as further investigation continues.