Mangaluru: Inter-district thief involved in 11 bag theft cases arrested, gold worth Rs 6.47 lakh recovered

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, January 30, 2026: Mangaluru’s Barke police have arrested an inter-district thief involved in 11 bag theft cases at bus stations and recovered gold ornaments weighing 46.28 grams worth Rs 6,47,920, along with Rs 5,000 in cash, from the accused.

The case pertains to an incident reported on January 23, 2026, at around 7 pm, at the KSRTC bus stand, Bejai, under the limits of the Barke Police Station. Two adult women and senior citizens, who were seated in a bus bound for Bengaluru, had kept a trolley bag containing about 45 grams of gold jewellery and Rs 20,000 in cash. During this time, unidentified thieves stole the bag containing the valuables. Based on the complaint, Crime No. 10/2026 was registered under Section 303(2) of the BNS, 2023, and an investigation was taken up.

A special team was formed to trace the accused. Under the guidance of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Sub-Division, the investigating officer PSI Vinayak Toragal, along with staff members Sujan, Vasudeva, Ravi Lamani, Siddu, Harish, Nitish, and Galib, arrested the accused Mohammed Imran N.M. (44), son of late M.K. Nazeer Ahmed, a resident of Dasavala Road, Gaffar Building, Thyagaraj Colony, Madikeri, Kodagu district, near Mangaluru Central Railway Station on January 28, 2026.

During the arrest, the police recovered gold ornaments weighing 46.28 grams valued at Rs 6,47,920, and Rs 5,000 in cash from the accused. He was produced before the court on January 29, 2026, following which the court remanded him to judicial custody.

Police said the accused is a habitual offender who targets bags containing valuables at bus stands. A total of 11 cases have been registered against him. These include bag theft cases at Dudda Police Station (1), Komanur Police Station (1), Hassan Badaane Police Station (1), Hassan City Police Station (1), Channarayapatna City Police Station (1), and Mysuru Devaraj Nagar Police Station (1). In addition, house theft cases have been registered at Shanthigrama Police Station, Hassan district (1), Hassan Badaane Police Station (2), and Dudda Police Station, Hassan district (1).

It was also revealed that the accused had earlier obtained bail in a house theft case in Hassan district but failed to appear before the court for trial, following which the court had issued a warrant against him.