Night blindness, theft in broad daylight: Why this thief works during office hours. Bengaluru-News News

Last updated:December 24, 2025, 12:02 IST

According to the police, Khan was unable to see clearly after sunset, making it risky for him to operate at night. Instead of giving up criminal activity, he adopted his own method.

Criminal investigations often reveal unexpected motives and patterns, but a recent case in Bengaluru has drawn attention to its unusual circumstances. City police have arrested an interstate thief who operated only during daylight hours, not of his own free will but because of a medical condition that prevented him from committing crimes after dark. The arrests highlight increasing burglaries and rekindle concerns over daytime home security in residential neighborhoods.

The accused Mohammed Khan was arrested by the Bengaluru Police after a series of theft incidents in southern India. Police said Khan deliberately avoided crimes at night because he suffers from night blindness, medically known as nyctalopia, which severely limits visibility in low light conditions.

Why did the thief avoid thefts at night?

According to investigators, Khan was unable to see clearly after sunset, making it risky for him to operate at night. Instead of giving up criminal activity, he adopted his own method. They targeted closed houses during the day, especially in residential areas where residents usually leave for work or professional commitments in the morning.

Police said Khan would survey the neighborhood during daylight hours, paying attention to houses that remained closed for long periods. Once assured that the residents would not return before evening, he would break in, steal valuables and leave the premises before dark. This pattern allowed him to avoid suspicion, as many residents associated thefts with night-time activity.

Television actor’s residence vandalized

Khan’s activities came to light after a high-profile burglary at the residence of Praveen, a famous Kannada television actor, in Bengaluru’s JP Nagar area. On the day of the incident, Praveen and his wife, who works as a make-up artist, had left their house for a shoot.

Police said Khan entered the locked house during the day and took away jewelery worth around Rs 1.5 lakh. When the couple returned and discovered the theft, Praveen lodged a complaint at the JP Nagar police station, prompting a focused investigation.

Arrest and interstate crime trail

Based on technical analysis and local intelligence, the police traced Khan and soon arrested him. During interrogation, investigators learned that he was not a first-time offender, but an interstate criminal involved in several thefts.

Police said Khan was linked to at least 7 major theft cases in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Their approach remained largely consistent, targeting residential properties during the day whose occupants were out for work.

Large scale recovery of stolen property

After the arrest, the police recovered a large quantity of stolen valuables from the accused. The recovered items included gold jewelery worth Rs 65.28 lakh, silver items weighing approximately 1.55 kg and cash worth Rs 46 lakh. The total value of the recovered property is estimated to be more than Rs 1.1 crore.

Officials said the seizures were made from multiple locations and were linked to thefts in different states. The police are now coordinating with officials from neighboring states to match the recovered items with the pending complaints.

Separate gang arrested in related case

In a related development noted by the police, another theft gang was also arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into an organized theft network. The gang consisted of three people, identified as Balraj, Gaurav and Praveen.

Police said the trio met while serving their sentence in jail and later after their release, they committed the robbery together. The officials recovered gold jewelery worth about Rs 25 lakh from this gang. Investigators are probing whether there was any connection between the group and the mine operations.

What the case reveals about daytime security risks

Police officials said the case underlines the increasing trend of daytime thefts, especially in urban areas where functioning houses remain vacant for long periods. Criminals are increasingly exploiting predictable daily routines, assuming that residents will not return home before evening.

Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant even during the day, stressing that homes locked during working hours are no longer considered safe by default. The investigation into Khan’s activities continues, with police working to uncover additional thefts and identify associates who assisted him.