It started with small, almost routine moments. A spectator stepped away from his seat near the P-3 stand water counter at M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. Minutes later, he realised his iPhone 14 Pro Max was missing.

“It happened around 9.30-10 pm. I stepped out to get a bottle of water, and when I came back, my phone was gone. Around me, several others were reporting the same,” said the spectator.

Among them was Ritu Tiwari, who shared a video online after her husband’s phone was stolen. “My husband realised his phone was missing when he went to get water. At the same time, many people around us were saying their phones were gone too,” she said, highlighting a wider pattern.

The incident, combined with 28 similar complaints registered on the E-Lost online portal, led the Cubbon Park police to launch a detailed probe into a well-organised network of mobile thieves.

A police officer said that 21 phones worth around Rs 18 lakh, including 14 iPhones, were recovered from the detained minors, and the police are trying to convince victims to come forward with complaints. The officer said a few FIRs have been registered so far, and more are likely if victims come forward.

How the gang operated

Police investigations revealed a clear modus operandi. The accused blended into the crowd by wearing team jerseys and reportedly gained entry using complimentary tickets. They operated in densely packed sections, focusing on spectators when they were distracted, especially while buying refreshments or moving through entry and exit points.

Thefts were concentrated around certain stadium stands, while similar incidents were reported along approach routes, exit points, and nearby metro stations, suggesting the operation extended across the entire venue.

Officials noted that high-footfall events like IPL matches were deliberately targeted because crowd density and distractions made detection difficult. Victims typically realised their phones were missing only after moving away from congested areas, a pattern consistent across multiple complaints, the police noted.

Arrests and network

The police tracked down seven minors to a lodge in Bengaluru late at night using the live location of a stolen iPhone. Investigators said the minors, who had travelled from Jharkhand by train, were deployed to carry out thefts on the ground, moving through crowded sections to snatch phones while blending with spectators.

All the accused, who are from Jharkhand, were detained. The police are investigating how the gang planned to dispose of the stolen devices. Preliminary investigations indicate that the group of minors had come to Bengaluru specifically to steal mobile phones, officers said.

Following the leads, the police arrested Shubham Kumar, 26, who had travelled to Bengaluru from Jharkhand by flight. He is alleged to have coordinated the operation, providing the minors with logistical support, food, clothing, shelter, and “incentives” to target high-end mobile phones. Officers said the accused operated in coordination, entering through the same gate and focusing on the P-3 stand, blending seamlessly into the crowd.

Explaining the breakthrough, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told indianexpress.com: “Through CCTV coverage, and with coordinated work by our crime teams, we were able to identify and apprehend the accused. They took advantage of the crowd during the IPL match. We have recovered several phones, gathered more leads, and expect further recoveries and arrests.”

Officers confirmed that the police teams had been sent to Chennai and Mumbai to verify reports of similar phone robberies at IPL matches held in these cities after the inaugural match in Bengaluru on March 28.

“Pick-pocketing gangs are known to operate in crowded places. We had our crime teams and units at the inaugural match, but these robberies happened. We will ensure that they do not occur again,” an officer said.

The police are investigating how the suspects got “complimentary” tickets for the P3 section, where most of the thefts are suspected to have occurred, for the IPL match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Authorities have urged spectators to remain cautious in crowded areas, secure valuables, and report any suspicious activity, as the investigation continues.