Bengaluru techie arrested for stealing 50 laptops worth Rs 22 lakh from office to pay debts

The accused stole 45 laptops amounting to Rs 22 lakh. (Representational)

Bengaluru police have arrested a system administrator for allegedly stealing nearly 50 laptops worth Rs 22 lakh from the multimedia company he worked for. The accused, identified as Murugesh M, a BCA graduate from Hosur, Tamil Nadu, reportedly confessed to the crime after being caught by authorities.

Murugesh, 29, who managed the company’s inventory in Whitefield, Bengaluru, allegedly began stealing the laptops after suffering significant financial losses. According to police sources, Murugesh incurred a debt of Rs 25 lakh from failed ventures in tomato farming and a cyber centre business, PTI reported. Desperate to clear his debts, he started stealing laptops over a period of time, selling them to a gadget repair shop in Hosur.

Company officials first grew suspicious when Murugesh abruptly stopped showing up for work after August 22. Upon discovering the missing laptops, they reviewed CCTV footage from the storage area, which pointed to Murugesh’s involvement. The company lodged a formal complaint, and police have initiated an investigation.

Murugesh was later arrested from a cinema house in Hosur and brought back to Bengaluru for further questioning, PTI reported. At the time of his arrest, police recovered five laptops.

Murugesh admitted to having sold 45 laptops, and the total estimated value of the stolen goods is Rs 22 lakh, police added.

(With inputs from PTI)