One of the security risks of the ongoing summer heatwave is that an Anepalya resident who fell within the Ashok Nagar police station limits was the victim of a calculated burglary. Shailaja (a former team leader at a skincare company) lost everything around ₹1.5 lakh after she left her front door open in the heat of the night in the sweltering evening.
The Incident: A calculated crime at 2:00 AM
The victim Shailaja had recently quit her job to recover from health problems. And at 2:30 AM on Saturday morning, she was feeling besieged in the heat and in search of better air circulation in her house, she let the door slightly open and fell asleep in the middle of everything.
While she was asleep, an unknown prowler (who had been around the neighborhood) took advantage of her. The thief entered through the unprotected door of Shailaja and stole an 18-gram gold Mangalsutra and two mobile phones she had kept next to her. The total value of the stolen property is over ₹1.5 lakh. The theft was discovered only when Shailaja woke up at 6:00 AM to find that her jewelry and devices were stolen.
Chilling CCTV Evidence
After the discovery, local CCTV footage provided chilling details of the perpetrator’s movements. At 2:25 AM, a man walked barefoot through the lanes of Anepalya. The suspect systematically checked the doors of several houses in the row. Most were locked, but once he came to Shailaja’s house, the door opened and he could get into the house and carry out the crime in less than two minutes.
Victim Alleges Police Apathy
Although the crime itself has left the victim shaken, Shailaja expressed deep frustration with the subsequent legal process. She claimed that despite telling the authorities immediately, she was made to wait an entire day at the Ashok Nagar police station before an official FIR was finally registered. “I was already suffering from health issues, and having to wait for hours just to file a complaint added to the trauma,” she said.
Police Advisory: Stay Safe During Summer
Bengaluru police have since issued a number of safety guidelines to citizens who are dealing with the heat:
To keep the heat off, never leave the main entrance or balcony doors unlocked or ajar at night during the heat.
- Secure windows: all windows need iron grills. Do not leave windows open if they are accessible from the street or a common pipe.
- Placement of valuables: Do not put mobile phones, wallets, or gold jewelry on bedside tables close to windows or doors.
- In contrast, installing CCTV: Small-scale home security cameras can be a very effective deterrent and provide evidence in case of a breach.
- Use Exhaust/Coolers: Instead of opening external doors, we can use internal ventilation systems to keep opportunistic criminals out.
The Ashok Nagar police are now analyzing more footage from the area to identify and apprehend the barefoot suspect.
