Bengaluru police bust IPL stadium theft racket; 75 stolen phones recovered

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New Delhi: Bengaluru police busted an organised mobile theft racket that allegedly trained minors to steal phones from spectators during IPL 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

In the opening match of IPL 2026, several spectators lost their mobile phones during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad match. Police received multiple complaints about the thefts.

Later, officials filed the complaints and began the investigation. The findings revealed that the gang allegedly brought the minors from other states to Bengaluru by train and flights and ultimately trained them. They used to operate with full planning.

Police arrested 13 people, including nine minors and four adults, in connection with the theft. The majority of the accused are from Jharkhand, while some are from Bihar.

Investigation also revealed that the gang trained the minors in pickpocketing and evasion tactics systematically. The juveniles were trained on how to steal phones, how to react if caught, and what to state during questioning if police detained them.

Investigators also believed that the gang deliberately used juveniles to reduce legal consequences. Some accused also stole the match tickets to gain entry into the stadium.

Officials have recovered 75 mobile phones, including 70 stolen phones, and five phones were used by the accused to operate the operation.

The four adult accused have been identified as Shubham Kumar, Eshal Kumar, Sanjeeth Kumar, and Sohan Kumar. They were in police remand before being produced in court

The minors have been sent to the government observation homes. Officials still believe that the gang is a part of a larger network that operates in different states. Police have been investigating every aspect of the case.