'Guest' flees with TV from hotel

BENGALURU: The manager of a hotel in HSR Layout has filed a police complaint alleging that a man, who had checked into one of the rooms in the guise of a businessman, stole the LED television set that was in it. The incident occurred on January 14.
Police, who scanned CCTV footage, claim the culprit appears to be the same man who had fled with four LED TVs from different hotels in Bagalkot, north Karnataka in December last year.
In his complaint, Mohammed Ismail, the hotel manager, stated that the suspect booked the room on January 14 and paid an advance of Rs 1,800. Within 30 minutes of entering the room, the man walked away with the TV which he had concealed in a bag.
"He told me that he was a businessman and wanted a single room for a day," Ismail said in his complaint. "He said his name was Devaraj and produced an ID card that looked genuine. We allotted him a room on the first floor."
Left after 20 minutes
While checking in, Devaraj had carried a huge bag which he said contained "business material". "After booking the room, he spent around 20 minutes inside and then walked out with the bag. We realized the TV was missing only the next morning when cleaning staff entered the room," Ismail said.
'Serial TV looter
Vasudev Nanaiah, 28, had allegedly stolen 21 TV sets in a span of 18 days from lodges in Tirupati, Puttaparthi, Shivamogga and Bhadravathi, among other places.
He was arrested in Sanjaynagar, Bengaluru in November last year while trying to sell those TVs.