Bengaluru: In yet another incident highlighting the growing threat of attention-diversion thefts in commercial hubs, a 35-year-old gold trader became the victim of a carefully executed theft on Chowdeshwari Temple (CT) Street in Nagarathpet. A gang of four miscreants robbed him of gold, silver and cash — all worth Rs 25 lakh.Manish Suran, a resident of Vasanthnagar, said he has been purchasing gold and silver ornaments from jewellery shops and reselling them to other jewellers on a commission for nearly a decade.On Jan 28, Suran received an 80-gram gold necklace from a jeweller, who asked him to sell it. Suran had around 70 gold ornaments and 100 grams of silver jewellery in his house. He kept them in a leather bag along with Rs 4.5 lakh in cash.Around 5.35pm on Feb 2, Suran was walking towards Nagarathpet carrying the bag with him. He said a man tapped him on the shoulder to divert his attention. As he turned back, another person deliberately dashed into him while a third miscreant snatched his bag and fled.As Suran began searching for the thief, another accomplice created further confusion by misleading him and directing him towards the wrong route to delay him. After walking some distance and finding no one, he returned to the spot only to realise that all four accused had disappeared. Thefts common in commercial areas Shopkeepers said such incidents are common in crowded commercial areas of KR Market, Chickpet and Nagarathpet, where offenders identify individuals carrying valuables and execute quick, coordinated distraction tactics to steal bags within seconds. Traders, jewellers and people transporting large amounts of ornaments and cash are particularly vulnerable.“We advise people to avoid carrying large amounts of cash or ornaments alone, especially on foot. In case of cash, prefer digital transactions, remain alert in crowded areas and avoid engaging with strangers who attempt to distract you. Apart from attention diverters, pickpockets are also active in market areas. They steal ornaments worn by the public, mobile phones and wallets,” a senior police officer said.
