Bengaluru's notorious PG laptop thief finally arrested. She was once a techie

Bengaluru police has arrested a 29-year-old woman, a graduate holding a BTech degree from Rajasthan, on accusations of orchestrating a series of laptop thefts within multiple paying guest accommodations throughout the city since 2022. This individual has been identified as Jassu Agarwal, originally from Jodhpur, whose bold actions left law enforcement puzzled and residents of these accommodations anxious.

Agarwal's modus operandi initiated with what appeared to be innocent actions: she would secure lodging in PGs under the pretext of attending job interviews. By persuading PG proprietors to grant her temporary residence, promising a stay of one to two weeks, she concealed her true intentions.

But Agarwal harbored ulterior motives. Exploiting moments when laptops were left unguarded during meal times, she would pilfer them and swiftly abscond with her loot. Her targets were scattered across various areas including Tin Factory, Marathahalli, Bellandur, Silk Board, Hebbal, Mahadevapura, and Whitefield.


What set Agarwal apart was her methodical approach and efficient disposal of the stolen merchandise. Utilizing her connections, she would expeditiously sell the stolen laptops to individuals involved in the second-hand electronics market, fetching substantial amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. Subsequently, with her pockets filled, Agarwal would retreat to the comfort of her hometown in Rajasthan.

For a considerable duration, Agarwal operated with impunity, capitalizing on the absence of CCTV surveillance within many PG premises. However, her fortune took a turn when surveillance footage from a PG in HAL captured her fleeing with three laptops in September 2022. Subsequent scrutiny of similar incidents occurring in other PGs facilitated law enforcement in narrowing down their search to her.

Reports citing top police officials said that they have recovered 24 laptops from Jassu Agarwal and investigations are on. Agarwal had shifted to Bengaluru from Noida, where she worked with a private bank. (With TOI inputs)