Bengaluru: For nearly two weeks, they looked no different from hundreds of office-goers packed into BMTC buses during rush hour. Dressed in plain clothes and carrying no visible signs of being police officers, they boarded buses from Shivajinagar, Pulakeshinagar, and Benson Town each day, quietly observing passengers and waiting for suspects to surface.Their patience paid off when an undercover officer spotted two men matching facial sketches prepared from CCTV footage boarding a crowded bus near Shivajinagar. The suspects were arrested without causing panic among passengers, bringing to an end a covert operation by Vidhana Soudha police that cracked a pickpocketing gang targeting BMTC commuters on some of the city’s busiest routes.The operation was launched after three pickpocketing cases were reported in quick succession earlier this month. In two incidents, commuters lost their mobile phones during the rush-hour crush. The third victim, 84-year-old pensioner Narasimhaiah K, had withdrawn Rs 35,000 from a bank for his monthly expenses before boarding a bus. The cash was stolen during the journey.Investigators found a clear pattern: the gang primarily targeted crowded buses travelling towards the city centre, especially routes linking Shivajinagar and other eastern localities with the central business district. “The suspects exploited the chaos during boarding and alighting, particularly at busy bus stops where passengers were packed shoulder-to-shoulder,” a police officer said.DCP (Central) Akshay Machindra Hakay constituted a four-member special team from Vidhana Soudha police station to investigate the cases. Officers first analysed CCTV footage from the buses where the thefts had occurred. Using images from the footage and facial sketches prepared from victims’ descriptions, they devised an undercover surveillance plan instead of conducting routine checks.For more than 10 days, one plainclothes officer travelled daily on the identified BMTC routes, boarding at different locations, blending in with commuters, and staying on board until the Corporation bus stop while closely watching passenger movement. The duty rotated among four officers, enabling continuous surveillance across multiple routes without alerting the suspects.The strategy finally paid off when an undercover officer recognised two men whose appearances closely matched the sketches. The duo — 55-year-old Anwar Pasha of JJ Nagar and 30-year-old Mubarak of Kengeri — was immediately apprehended.According to police, during interrogation, the duo disclosed several methods used by the gang. Their preferred tactic was to strike when passengers were preparing to alight at crowded stops. As commuters jostled through the crowd, gang members allegedly slipped away with wallets and mobile phones. Police suspect more members of the racket remain at large, and said efforts are on to trace them.Diversion techniqueIn another trick, one crook would pretend to vomit through a bus window, creating panic and distraction. As fellow passengers instinctively moved away or looked towards the commotion, another gang member would swiftly remove mobile phones kept in shirt pockets or valuables from unsuspecting victims.
