Pune, 19 July 2025: In a dramatic twist of fate, a 21-year-old engineering student from Karnataka, who once topped his college, has been arrested for a daring jewellery shop robbery in Pune’s Budhwar Peth. The accused, identified as Likith G, is not a seasoned criminal but a bright young man whose academic record stood in stark contrast to the crime he committed.
On the night of July 6, Likith travelled from Karnataka to Pune and carried out a well-planned robbery. Using the bathroom window of a building’s second floor, he broke into a jewellery store and made off with gold ornaments valued at around ₹5 lakh. However, the stolen items were later discovered to be one-gram forming jewellery, far less valuable than he had assumed.
CCTV footage revealed a masked man dressed in a white shirt, jeans, and a black face covering, with a backpack slung over his shoulder. The store owner reported the theft the following morning, prompting an intense investigation. Pune Police sifted through nearly 250 CCTV camera feeds and eventually traced the suspect to Kolar, Karnataka.
What made identification difficult was the fact that Likith always moved around Pune with his face covered. Investigators followed leads based on the unique backpack he carried and a cab he had booked online, which gave them crucial digital evidence. He even tried to sell the stolen ornaments in Karnataka but was surprised to learn they were lightweight forming pieces.
The police team flew to Karnataka and, with the help of local authorities, arrested him and recovered the stolen goods. During interrogation, Likith confessed to the crime and revealed that he had planned to use the money to buy a motorcycle and a car.
According to the police, Likith had studied science in his higher secondary education and secured admission in an engineering college under a government quota. He was known for his academic excellence. However, financial struggles at home drove him to hatch the plan.
He has been presented before the court, which has remanded him to police custody until July 19.
