In a significant crackdown, Bengaluru police have dismantled an organized theft ring responsible for stealing and selling laptops across the city. The operation led to the arrest of two individuals and the recovery of 48 stolen laptops.
The Unlikely Duo Behind the Crime
The accused have been identified as M Raja Dorai, 33, a mechanic, and D Gautam, 30, a computer science diploma holder. Both are residents of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. According to police, their partnership was an unusual one, blending hands-on theft with technical expertise to erase digital footprints.
Dorai, a Class III dropout, allegedly carried out the physical thefts in Bengaluru. His accomplice, Gautam, a former data analyst who worked with a private firm in Dubai until 2022, used his technical skills to reformat the stolen devices. Gautam had returned to India after his widowed mother, a government schoolteacher, fell ill and later opened a laptop servicing shop in Kanchipuram.
How the Scheme Unravelled
The case came to light last month when an employee of a private firm in Doddatoguru, near Electronics City, reported his laptop missing from the office. CCTV footage proved crucial, showing a man casually walking out through a half-open main door with the device.
Police traced the suspect, Raja Dorai, through a series of CCTV recordings. He was seen carrying the laptop to a hotel in Hosur before boarding a bus to Kanchipuram. A police team travelled to Tamil Nadu and detained Dorai, who readily confessed to the crime.
A Challenging Investigation and Arrest
While Dorai's arrest was swift, apprehending Gautam proved difficult. Police revealed that a close relative of Gautam is a local politician who attempted to obstruct the investigation by pressuring local police. Gautam constantly moved to evade capture.
Undeterred, the Bengaluru police team camped in Kanchipuram for nearly three weeks. Officers posed as travellers and discreetly visited various shops before finally locating and arresting Gautam. The duo is currently in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison.
Investigations revealed their modus operandi: Dorai stole laptops from various locations in Bengaluru and passed them to Gautam. Gautam would then wipe the devices clean of any data and sell them in open markets across Chennai and Puducherry. Their partnership reportedly began when Dorai frequented Gautam's shop for two-wheeler repairs, and their friendship eventually took a criminal turn.
This bust highlights a growing concern over organized theft targeting high-value electronics in India's tech capital and the sophisticated methods used to dispose of stolen goods.
