Bengaluru pub thief nabbed from Odisha, armed robbery theory ruled out | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: In the early hours of May 12, the city witnessed tense moments as a posse of cops, including armed commandos and a bomb detection squad, visited the premises of Geometry Brewery and Kitchen in Rajajinagar.The reason: Security guards had called the cops, saying a gun-wielding man had taken Rs 50,000 cash from the pub. With India-Pakistan tensions running high at the time, police were in no mood to take risks. However, after a search lasting over six hours, the cops and commandos returned empty-handed. A case of robbery was registered at Subramanyanagar police station.Now, police have arrested the robber, identified as Malipuram Dilip Kumar alias Tuttu. Police said Kumar never had a gun, pistol, or any other weapon with him at the time, and the security guards might have mistaken the hand glove, which Kumar had folded in his right palm, for a firearm.Coming to the city from Odisha in search of work a few years back, Kumar worked in different hotels and pubs. However, for the last five months, he was without a job. Meanwhile, his younger sister was getting married in Odisha and his parents had sought financial help from him. Back in 2021, Kumar had made a futile attempt to steal valuables after breaking into a house. Seeing his parents’ distress, Kumar decided to steal again.“Kumar regularly visited Iskcon in Rajajinagar, and this pub is in the same area. He visited it twice in the first week of May and made a mental note of its structure. On May 10, he occupied a PG accommodation in Subramanyanagar. In the early hours of May 12, he broke into the pub through the back door and disconnected the CCTV cameras. Then, he stole money from the owner’s chamber. He threatened the security guards who arrived, but the latter swiftly locked the door from outside.However, Kumar managed to slide down the building from a window,” an investigating officer said.On the same day, using the stolen money, he flew to Odisha. However, Kumar had booked an auto using an app in the city, and this helped cops trace him. “Surrounding area CCTV footage showed the suspect running away from the pub and boarding an auto. During questioning, the auto driver shared Kumar’s details. We travelled to Odisha and arrested him from his house. By then, his sister’s marriage was over,” the officer said.