<p>A six-member gang that picked passengers' pockets in a BMTC bus plying from KR Market to Nimhans for over 10 years has been arrested. </p>.<p>The arrested are Khadri Velu, Mahesh, Raghu, Sundar Raj, Syed Saleem and Kanya Kumar, all in their 40s. They were neighbours for decades when they ganged up to form a pickpocketing syndicate. Police are looking for Aslam and another absconding member of the gang. </p>.<p>The gang members started their day at 3 am. They would gather at KR Market and spend the next few hours closely observing people. </p>.<p>Once the bus service resumed in the morning, they targeted people carrying money and boarded the bus. Kumar and Aslam would trail behind in an auto. </p>.<p>One person from the gang would sit next to the passenger and vomit during the journey as a stop was nearing, pretending to be ill. </p>.<p>All the other members of the gang would then surround him on the pretext of checking on him. In the ensuing confusion, the gang members would pick the pocket of the passenger. Wasting no time, the gang would get off the bus and hop into two autos behind, pretending to take him to the hospital. </p>.<p>A police officer said that the gang particularly operated on the KR Market-Nimhans route and partied in a bar in the evening. He noted that the arrested are addicted to alcohol and signs of consuming drugs are visible, too. </p>.<p>"The group has been operating in Bengaluru for more than 15 years and used to stay in the same neighbourhood earlier,” said the officer. </p>.<p>He noted that the gang members work as plumbers, and fruit and flower vendors at KR Market. Some even drive autos for their livelihood. Now the gang members have moved to KG Nagar, Ragigudda, Devarachikkanahalli, Bakshi Garden and Srirampura, the officer said. </p>.<p>The gang has cases at Wilson Garden, Halasuru Gate and Sampangira police stations. Police caught the gang after checking over 150 CCTV cameras. </p>.<p>An FIR has been filed under IPC Section 379 (punishment for theft). </p>
<p>A six-member gang that picked passengers' pockets in a BMTC bus plying from KR Market to Nimhans for over 10 years has been arrested. </p>.<p>The arrested are Khadri Velu, Mahesh, Raghu, Sundar Raj, Syed Saleem and Kanya Kumar, all in their 40s. They were neighbours for decades when they ganged up to form a pickpocketing syndicate. Police are looking for Aslam and another absconding member of the gang. </p>.<p>The gang members started their day at 3 am. They would gather at KR Market and spend the next few hours closely observing people. </p>.<p>Once the bus service resumed in the morning, they targeted people carrying money and boarded the bus. Kumar and Aslam would trail behind in an auto. </p>.<p>One person from the gang would sit next to the passenger and vomit during the journey as a stop was nearing, pretending to be ill. </p>.<p>All the other members of the gang would then surround him on the pretext of checking on him. In the ensuing confusion, the gang members would pick the pocket of the passenger. Wasting no time, the gang would get off the bus and hop into two autos behind, pretending to take him to the hospital. </p>.<p>A police officer said that the gang particularly operated on the KR Market-Nimhans route and partied in a bar in the evening. He noted that the arrested are addicted to alcohol and signs of consuming drugs are visible, too. </p>.<p>"The group has been operating in Bengaluru for more than 15 years and used to stay in the same neighbourhood earlier,” said the officer. </p>.<p>He noted that the gang members work as plumbers, and fruit and flower vendors at KR Market. Some even drive autos for their livelihood. Now the gang members have moved to KG Nagar, Ragigudda, Devarachikkanahalli, Bakshi Garden and Srirampura, the officer said. </p>.<p>The gang has cases at Wilson Garden, Halasuru Gate and Sampangira police stations. Police caught the gang after checking over 150 CCTV cameras. </p>.<p>An FIR has been filed under IPC Section 379 (punishment for theft). </p>