Bengaluru cab driver overhears travel plans, returns at midnight to burgle locked house; steals gold worth Rs 25 lakh

BENGALURU: What began as a routine cab ride ahead of Ramzan shopping turned into a costly mistake for a family when their driver allegedly used a casual conversation to plan a burglary.

A 40-year-old habitual offender, Abdul Rehman of KG Halli, was arrested by Hebbal police for breaking into a locked house in Bhuvaneshwarinagar and stealing gold worth Rs 25 lakh. Police recovered 180 grams of gold; some had been pledged at shops in Shivajinagar and KG Halli, while other pieces were sold to acquaintances in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.


The victim, Syed Akram, 67, ran a bangle store on Commercial Street and lived with his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. On Feb 11, ahead of Ramzan, the family locked their house and booked a cab through an aggregator app to head to Yeshwantpur railway station for a shopping trip to Mumbai. The cab ride was assigned to Rehman.

After picking up the family, Rehman allegedly overheard Akram and his son discussing their detailed travel plans. He learned that the entire family would be away for at least two to three days. Realising the house would remain locked, Rehman returned to Bhuvaneshwarinagar at midnight. He broke open a window grill, entered the house and stole gold ornaments kept in a bedroom cupboard.

When the family returned on Feb 16, they found their home ransacked. A case was registered at Hebbal police station and a team led by inspector Bhaira tracked down the accused on Feb 22. Rehman, who has been involved in three theft cases in the past, is in judicial custody now.

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