Naked Man in Mask Breaks Into Bengaluru Mobile Store, Steals Costly Phones

In a bizarre burglary that left even police baffled, a man from Assam was arrested in Bengaluru after he broke into a mobile store stark naked - except for a face mask - and stole high-end smartphones worth over ₹15,000.

According to TOI report, the incident took place in the early hours of May 9 at Hanuman Telecom in Hongasandra, South Bengaluru. According to The Times of India, the accused, 27-year-old Imranullah, told police he didn't want to ruin his new clothes while squeezing through a small hole in the wall of the shop - hence his near-nude appearance.

CCTV footage captured the unusual break-in: the man was seen crawling through a two-foot-wide hole using only his mobile phone's flashlight to see. He methodically picked only expensive phones, leaving cheaper models untouched.

Police said the burglary was carried out between 1.30 am and 3.00 am, with help from an accomplice who waited outside. The duo had drilled the hole in advance. Imranullah, wearing just a face mask and carrying a bag, slipped inside and looted the store.

Investigators said the accused confessed he wanted to sell the phones in the black market to raise money to buy gifts for his girlfriend. His familiarity with the shop's layout and security system hinted at prior surveillance.

The store owner, Dinesh, who was in Rajasthan for a family emergency, discovered the break-in around 4.00 pm the next day while checking the store's CCTV remotely. He immediately informed a friend, who alerted the police and filed a complaint.

Police described the crime as "bizarre but deliberate", highlighting the lengths to which some will go for love - and loot.