Nitesh Subba, a 26-year-old from West Bengal who was arrested for orchestrating a series of high-value burglaries at GM Infinity, a residential complex in Electronics City Phase 2, Bengaluru, had moved to the city in search of better opportunities, despite living next door to his victims.
He was for a while assistant at a real estate company, police said. Nevertheless, he lived with his sister in a Thirupalya rental apartment after losing his job, making him seem "idle" to the neighbors. However, beneath that serene exterior was a man meticulously organizing thefts totaling over Rs 60 lakh.
Key Highlights
- A 26‑year‑old jobless graduate stole valuables worth ₹60.4 lakh from locked flats in his gated community.
- He rang doorbells, checked for hidden keys, and forced entry using an iron rod when needed.
According to the police, before each theft, Nitesh Subba had a simple plan: ring the doorbell. If someone responded, he'd make an excuse and leave. But if there was no response, he would look through the shoe rack for a spare key. Otherwise, he would take out an iron rod, force the door open, and take whatever valuables he could find.
For weeks, this methodical approach, which was used repeatedly during multiple break-ins, went unnoticed until a police raid exposed the extent of his haul. A total of approximately Rs 60.4 lakh was seized by the police, including 641 grams of gold, 56 grams of silver jewelry, 15.8 grams of diamonds, 4.3 grams of platinum, and Rs 28,000 in cash.
The Theft That Broke His Cover
The search for Nitesh began on the night of July 3, when he targeted the flat of Suresh Iyer, a 62-year-old professor at Dehradun University. Suresh had spent four months in Dehradun, leaving his Bengaluru home locked. His wife paid him occasional visits, most recently on June 21, before locking up and returning.
On July 4, a neighbour noticed the Iyers' main door was broken and immediately notified the family. When their nephew arrived, he discovered that not only the door, but also a bedroom cupboard and a chest had been pried open. Gold and diamond jewelry were missing. The family filed a complaint with the Hebbagodi Police.
He was Watching from Next Door
Unbeknownst to the Iyers, the thief lived next door. Nitesh Subba had an excellent vantage point to see which flats were occupied and which were not. Police later discovered that on the night of June 22, just days before robbing the Iyer family, he broke into two other flats using the same method.
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The Break in the Case
The investigation was headed by Hebbagodi Police Station Inspector Somsekhar G. CCTV footage from the building shows Subba loitering suspiciously in shorts and a T-shirt on the night of the break-in.
During his interrogation, Subba made a confession. He claimed that when police searched his apartment, they found the stolen goods.
The greatest surprise to investigators was how successfully Subba concealed his criminal side. He lived with his sister and portrayed himself as a young man without a job. Behind closed doors, however, he was carrying out a lone burglary operation, choosing to blend in with the neighborhood during the day and target apartments at night.
The case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
