Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Oct 4: In a dramatic turn of events, a stolen pair of AirPods helped Karnataka police bust a four-member burglary gang — including a woman — near Bengaluru, just hours after they carried out their second house break-in.
The arrested have been identified as Purushottam M (22), Darshan (20), Chandru (24), and Saubhagya B H (24), all residents of Davangere. Interestingly, all four share identical tattoos — the words “Teach Peace” on their chests and the number “313” on their right hands, police revealed recently.
According to the police, the breakthrough came when Purushottam began using the AirPods stolen during an earlier burglary. The device immediately alerted its original owner, enabling police to trace the gang to an apartment in Kudlu.
The gang’s first burglary was reported in Palana Jogihalli, where they broke into the house of Divya Sri on the night of September 16-17, stealing 113 grams of gold jewellery and her AirPods. On September 21, they struck again at the home of Bhavya C, escaping with her gold earrings.
“The thieves were caught after Purushottam started using the AirPods, which triggered a notification on Divya’s phone. She promptly alerted the police, leading us straight to the culprits,” an officer from Doddaballapura Rural police said.
Police disclosed that the gang had a long criminal history. Each member faced at least 10 prior cases, and Purushottam had even been involved in a murder case as a juvenile. While most had limited schooling, Darshan is reportedly a BBA graduate.
The trio — Purushottam, Darshan, and Chandru — were previously arrested in Tumakuru but were released on bail with the assistance of Saubhagya. After their release, they rented an apartment in Electronics City and planned their operations with a simple but calculated approach.
“They would board trains leaving Bengaluru with their mobile internet switched off to avoid detection. Once in a new area, they targeted isolated homes for their burglaries,” the officer added.
The theft at Divya’s house occurred while she was away visiting her mother after her night shift. “Most victims report only the loss of gold or silver. We made it a point to ask about other missing items, and that’s when she mentioned the AirPods. We never thought the gang would actually use them,” said a senior officer.
The accused have now been remanded to judicial custody as further investigations continue.
Regarding their tattoos, police noted the number 313 has religious and cultural references across various traditions — in Islam, it represents the companions of Prophet Muhammad; in numerology, it signifies good news through righteous paths; and in Buddhism, it denotes enlightenment.