Posing as a plain-clothes policeman, a man extorted Rs 78,000 from a delivery boy in southern Bengaluru on Thursday, police said.
Suresh, the victim, his brother Sunil and brother-in-law Jeevan were out to deliver groceries to a store at 9th Cross in Banashankari 2nd Stage. While Sunil and Jeevan went to the store, Suresh stood to wait near their Mahindra Bolero Pickup.
A few minutes later, a man walked up to him, asking about an address. Then, all of a sudden, the stranger asked Suresh what was he doing there. He claimed to be a policeman and said he was carrying out an investigation in the locality. He then asked Suresh what's there in his trouser pockets. When Suresh mumbled that he had only Rs 800 in cash, the man stuffed his hand in Suresh's trouser pocket and took out Rs 78,353 in cash.
Suresh cried thief but the man flipped a knife and held it to his neck. Suresh somehow got rid of him and screamed for help, drawing Jeevan and Sunil. But before that, the man dashed to his scooter and sped off. Suresh was so panicked that he could not even note down the registration number of the scooter.
He later lodged a complaint at the Banashankari police station. Police are reviewing the CCTV footage to track down the extortionist.