Woman Who Took Flights To Commit Thefts Arrested From Bengaluru: Police

The crime branch of Mumbai police has arrested a 46-year-old woman, a resident of Bengaluru, for allegedly stealing valuables of customers visiting malls and big showrooms in various metro cities, an official said on Wednesday.

The accused used to travel by air to various cities to commit thefts at malls, prominent show rooms and parlours, he said, adding that police recovered jewellery, some cash and a stolen mobile phone from her possession.

Unit 5 of the Mumbai crime branch apprehended the woman from her residence in Bengaluru and brought her to the city on Tuesday, he said.

The accused had allegedly stolen the purse of a woman containing gold jewellery worth Rs 13.54 lakh, Rs 50,000 cash, a mobile phone valued at Rs 84,000 and other documents from a famous showroom in Phoenix Mall at Lower Parel in central Mumbai, he said.

An offence under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at NM Joshi Marg police station.

Earlier, similar offences had been committed at the same showroom in Phoenix Mall and at a beauty parlour in Dadar, he said, adding that the accused was identified through CCTV footages.

Crime Branch officials were hot on the trail of the accused after carefully studying the modous operandi.

"During the investigation it came to light that the woman was involved in committing similar offences in various malls and shopping centres in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru," he said.

The official said they analysed the dump data of mobile phone towers in the areas of thefts and studied calls details records (CDRs), which helped them shortlist a particular mobile phone number.

"While analysing social media profiles of the woman, police found that she had been posting her pictures wearing the same dresses which she used to put on while committing crimes," said senior police inspector Jagdish Sail.

The probe revealed that the accused woman used to travel by air to various states from Bengaluru to commit thefts, he said.

She was arrested in a theft case in 2019 as well, the officer said.