Bengaluru: Police have arrested a 36-year-old habitual offender who allegedly stole gold rings from jewellery shops by swapping genuine ornaments with fake ones. The arrest has helped solve three theft cases registered across the city and led to the recovery of more than 22 grams of gold.
The accused, identified as Rajesh B.G., a resident of Kempegowdanagar in Byadarahalli, was arrested on November 17. A city court has remanded him in judicial custody.
How the theft unfolded
The case was filed by Babu Lal, proprietor of Sri Ganesh Gold Palace in Bhuvaneshwarinagar, on November 4. According to the complaint, a man visited the store at around 8 p.m. on November 3, posing as a customer interested in purchasing gold rings.
While staff members were busy attending to another customer, the accused allegedly removed a gold ring weighing 15.49 grams from the tray and replaced it with a fake ring before leaving the shop unnoticed.
The discrepancy was discovered later during routine stock checks. The stolen ring was valued at approximately ₹1.75 lakh.
Investigation leads to confession
Following the complaint, the Jnanabharathi Police registered a case and arrested Rajesh. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to involvement in similar thefts under the Jnanabharati and Magadi Road police station limits.
Gold worth ₹2.3 lakh recovered
Police said Rajesh had melted the stolen jewellery to avoid identification, converting it into small gold pieces. Recoveries included:
- 5.9 grams of gold
- 8.9 grams of gold
- One gold ring weighing 7.57 grams
The total recovery is valued at around ₹2.3 lakh, helping police crack three pending cases—two with the Jnanabharathi Police and one with the Magadi Road Police.
Repeat offender, say police
According to police sources, Rajesh is a repeat offender. In 2024, he had been arrested in theft cases registered at Kengeri and Govindarajanagar police stations. After securing bail, he allegedly continued committing similar offences across Bengaluru.