Bangalore: With the number of thefts increasing in paying guest (PG) accommodations in Madivala and Koramangala, the city police have asked PG owners to install closed circuit televsion cameras (CCTVs) in their premises.
The directive, which is aimed at identifying criminals masquerading as students and working professionals before vanishing with laptops and other valuables belonging to fellow inmates, comes in the backdrop of a complaint lodged by 26-year-old software engineer Mohammed Fayaz in Madivala police station.
An inmate of Shiva Sai Reddy PG for men in BTM I Stage, Fayaz has alleged electronic gadgets and other accessories worth Rs 1 lakh were stolen from his room by a new roommate. The PG owner had reportedly admitted the new room-mate without checking his credentials and not insisting on proof of identity.
The theft happened last fortnight. Fayaz’s PG owner introduced a person to him and said, “He is your new roommate, his name is Abhinav and he is going to stay in your room from today.”
The next day afternoon when I returned after offering noon prayers, I realised my laptop and an SLR camera kept in the room had disappeared. Immediately, I called the PG owner and asked for the new room-mate’s contact details. But I was shocked when the owner said he had no details about him.”
Fayaz filed a complaint with the Madivala police. “It has been ten days now and neither the culprit been caught nor any action taken against the
PG owner.”
When contacted, PG owner Narasimha Reddy said: “We cannot pay for the valuables lost by him. I agree we have not collected the ID or address proof of his new roommate. I was not in town and the person who was in charge had admitted him.”
Following the incident, cops have ordered PG owners to install CCTVs. Madivala police inspector Ganapathi said: “We have informed all the PG owners to install CCTV cameras and have security guards. They should collect all information about the inmates, including the address and telephone number, which they should verify.”
There are around 40 PGs in Madivala police station limits, 30 in Koramangala and 10 in Wilson Garden. Most of the inmates are college students and techies.
