Representative image of an arrest.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: A 38-year-old habitual thief, who had eluded capture for three years, was finally arrested by the Bengaluru City police.
Yasin Khan, known as ‘Chor Imran’, was caught at a congested traffic signal near the Satellite bus stand in west Bengaluru July 5.
The Konanakunte police arrested Khan after numerous unsuccessful interstate operations and six months of persistent tracking. Although half of the city’s investigators knew Khan, they recognised him only by his alias ‘Chor Imran’ since he is an habitual offender.
Khan has been implicated in 80 theft and house break-in cases since 2008, although evidence suggests his criminal activities began in 2005. He has been arrested six times, but repeatedly secured bail. Khan faces 26 cases in Bengaluru alone.
His latest arrest follows a break-in on January 19, where he stole 30 grams of gold from a Konanakunte house. CCTV footage captured Khan driving a red Maruti Swift and breaking into the house with a metal tool, leading to a manhunt. Khan managed to evade capture multiple times during interstate searches in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa and Solapur over the past six months.
An investigator told DH that Khan is a resident of Bengaluru who visited the city for theft sprees, stealing gold and silver ornaments, which he sold in Hyderabad and Mumbai.
To avoid detection, Khan frequently changed hotels and cities, spending Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per stay.
Last month, he was spotted in a Mumbai hotel, prompting a team to be dispatched, but he escaped. Vague leads took investigators to Hyderabad and Goa, but Khan eluded them each time. Critical toll gate CCTV footage eventually led police to Bhatkal, Mysuru and finally Bengaluru, where they caught him in traffic.
Police held Khan in custody for 20 days and seized 1.5 kg of gold and silver worth over Rs 1 crore from Hyderabad and Mumbai.
How it began
Yasin Khan, known as ‘Chor Imran’, revealed he primarily targeted houses of a specific community.
Investigators are verifying his claim that a false complaint by a member of this community against his parents in the early 2000s triggered his vendetta and subsequent thefts.