In a bizarre case that has baffled police, a 27-year-old man from Assam was arrested in Bengaluru after allegedly burgling a mobile phone store while completely naked, save for a face mask. The unusual attire was a self-imposed precaution to protect his new clothes as he squeezed through a small hole in the wall.

The incident occurred at Hanuman Telecom in Hongasandra during the night of May 9. Initially suspecting an organised gang, police were stunned by CCTV footage that revealed a naked figure pocketing expensive mobile phones worth over ₹15,000 while ignoring cheaper models.
The accused, later identified as Imranullah, had drilled a two-foot-wide hole in the store’s wall to gain entry. Police said he “had just bought new clothes and didn’t want to ruin them by squeezing through the narrow hole." The theft took place between 1:30 am and 3:00 am while the shop owner, Dinesh, was away due to a family emergency.

Dinesh discovered the break-in the following day when he remotely checked his store’s CCTV feed around 4:00 pm. “I rushed to the shop and saw the hole drilled into the left wall. I informed the police immediately and filed a complaint," said Dinesh’s friend Vasanaram, who works at a nearby mobile shop and was alerted by Dinesh. Upon entering the store, police and Vasanaram found several high-value mobile phones missing from the display.

The surveillance footage clearly showed Imranullah, masked and naked, crawling through the hole while another man acted as a lookout outside. Imranullah was seen carrying a bag and using his phone’s torch to carefully select the pricier devices, keeping the store lights off.

Police apprehended Imranullah the next day. Investigators revealed his motive was to acquire gifts for his girlfriend. “He claimed he needed money to spend on his girlfriend. He planned to sell the phones on the black market," a senior officer stated. The shop’s CCTV evidence, along with forensic evidence collected at the scene, aided in his swift arrest. Police are currently searching for the accomplice who remained outside during the burglary.

Despite the entry method, the execution of the theft suggested some level of planning. “The hole was just big enough for someone with his build. He knew the store layout and the camera angles. He was focused only on the phones of higher value," the officer said as per The Times of India.

Shop owner Dinesh, upon his return, expressed gratitude for the prompt police action. “I was away for just one night, and it happened. Thankfully, the stolen items have been recovered," he said.

Police have registered a case against Imranullah under sections 331 (Punishment for house-trespass or housebreaking) and 305 (Theft in a dwelling house, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.