Bengaluru techie loses Rs 16,000 shoes outside temple. Priest's slippers stolen twice

'I returned within five minutes after offering prayers and found my shoes missing,' the complainant said. (AI-generated image)

A routine temple visit turned costly for a Bengaluru software engineer after his branded shoes worth Rs 16,000 were stolen outside Shri Ganesha Temple in Banashankari III Stage on November 6. The Girinagar resident, who had bought the Asics shoes just six months ago, insisted on filing an FIR when police initially hesitated, saying footwear thefts were common near temples, Times of India reported.

The complainant told police he parked his motorcycle around 7.20 pm and left his shoes at the entrance, where other devotees had kept their footwear. “I returned within five minutes after offering prayers and found my shoes missing,” he said. When he approached the temple priest and management, they admitted thefts were frequent—even the priest’s slippers had been stolen twice. Several devotees shared similar experiences but had never reported them.

CCTV footage from the temple entrance showed the thief walking barefoot, posing as a devotee, before leaving with the shoes. Police said a case has been registered under BNS section 303 (theft), and efforts are on to trace the culprit. “We have collected CCTV footage and are working to identify the suspect,” a senior officer confirmed.

Past arrests reveal that footwear thieves often sell stolen items for Rs 20– Rs 50 to buy liquor. “If small thefts are ignored, the same person will commit bigger crimes, so they should be taught a lesson and reformed,” the complainant told the publication.

Bengaluru duo stole over 10,000 pairs of shoes in seven years from outside temples, homes

Last year, an unusual case of theft had surfaced in Karnataka, where two men allegedly stole more than 10,000 pairs of shoes over seven years from outside temples and residential complexes. Police said the duo targeted places where footwear is commonly left unattended—temples, houses, and apartment entrances—turning petty theft into a full-fledged business.

Investigators revealed the men operated mostly at night, moving around in an autorickshaw. Their modus operandi was simple: spot expensive shoes, steal them, clean them to look new, and sell them in tourist destinations like Ooty and Puducherry. “They identified high-value footwear and ensured it was in good condition before reselling,” an officer said.

Temples were a prime target, as devotees often leave footwear outside during prayers. The thieves also exploited cultural practices of not wearing shoes indoors, making apartment complexes easy pickings. Over time, the pair built a network to offload stolen goods in tourism hubs, where demand for branded shoes is high.

The scale of the operation shocked authorities. “Stealing footwear is common near temples, but this case shows how organized such crimes can become,” the officer added. The duo reportedly earned steady income from the racket, which continued undetected for years.