PG laptop theft racket busted in Bengaluru; 48 devices worth ₹40 lakh recovered

Two men from Tamil Nadu arrested after police crack a series of laptop thefts targeting paying guest accommodations across the city.

Bengaluru police on Tuesday arrested two men from Tamil Nadu for their alleged involvement in a series of laptop thefts from paying guest (PG) facilities across the city. The police recovered 48 laptops worth approximately ₹40 lakh from the accused.

The arrested men have been identified as Gautam (30), a laptop service technician, and Rajadorai (33), an autorickshaw driver with two previous criminal cases registered against him in Tamil Nadu.

The case came to light following a complaint filed on December 1, 2025, by a resident of a PG facility under the Electronic City police station limits. The complainant stated that unknown persons entered his room through an unlocked door and stole three laptops belonging to him and his friends between the night of November 28 and the morning of November 29.

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After registering a case, the police launched a detailed investigation. Officers inspected the crime scene, reviewed CCTV footage from nearby areas, and relied on inputs from informants to identify and track the suspects.

On December 11, the police detained Rajadorai from Tamil Nadu. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to the Electronic City theft and revealed his involvement in multiple laptop thefts from PG accommodations in different parts of Bengaluru. Based on his statement, the police identified Gautam as his associate.

Investigators said Rajadorai would steal laptops from PG rooms, particularly those left unlocked, and hand them over to Gautam. Gautam would then reformat and refurbish the stolen devices before selling them. Police confirmed that several laptops had already been sold in this manner, and efforts are ongoing to trace and recover the remaining devices.

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Both accused were produced before a court and have been remanded to police custody. The police said the investigation indicates that the duo deliberately targeted PG facilities due to low security and open access. Authorities are now examining whether other similar laptop theft cases reported in Bengaluru are linked to the same accused.