<p>A criminal gang that steals money by applying an itching substance on its victims has once again become active in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>A software professional from near Hulimavu, South Bengaluru, lost Rs 7 lakh to the gang, according to a police complaint.</p>.<p>Raghavendra A V, from Sugama Layout, Nyanappanahalli, says the gang stole the money from the boot space of his scooter after spraying him with the itching substance.</p>.<p>Raghavendra withdrew the money from a State Bank of India branch, a two-minute ride from his home, around noon on July 22. He kept the cash in a bag, stashed it in the boot space of his scooter and rode home.</p>.<p>On the way, he felt itching on the neck. The sensation was so powerful that the moment he reached home, he just ran in. He forgot to take the cash bag from the scooter’s boot space. He told his family about the itching, applied some oil and turmeric on the neck and took a shower. He then remembered the cash bag and asked his wife to get it quickly. When she went to the scooter, she found out that someone had broken open the lock of the boot space and stolen the cash bag.</p>.<p>A few minutes laters, Raghavendra got a phone call from an auto driver who informed him that he had found his bag on a road towards Devarachikkanahalli. The auto driver got Raghavendra’s phone number from a bank passbook and cheque book found in the bag. There was no cash in it.</p>.<p><strong>Suspicion on 6 bikers</strong></p>.<p>Hulimavu police inspector Mahesh K checked the CCTV footage of the bank and Raghavendra’s book and zeroed in on six men riding on three motorbikes. All of them wore masks and helmets.</p>.<p>The footage shows the men throwing something on Raghavendra and tailing him until his house. As Raghavendra ran into the home, the gang breaks into the scooter and escapes with the cash bag towards Devarachikkanahalli, according to the footage.</p>.<p>However, the registration numbers of the gang’s two-wheelers aren’t clearly visible in the footage because they rode very fast, a police officer said.</p>
<p>A criminal gang that steals money by applying an itching substance on its victims has once again become active in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>A software professional from near Hulimavu, South Bengaluru, lost Rs 7 lakh to the gang, according to a police complaint.</p>.<p>Raghavendra A V, from Sugama Layout, Nyanappanahalli, says the gang stole the money from the boot space of his scooter after spraying him with the itching substance.</p>.<p>Raghavendra withdrew the money from a State Bank of India branch, a two-minute ride from his home, around noon on July 22. He kept the cash in a bag, stashed it in the boot space of his scooter and rode home.</p>.<p>On the way, he felt itching on the neck. The sensation was so powerful that the moment he reached home, he just ran in. He forgot to take the cash bag from the scooter’s boot space. He told his family about the itching, applied some oil and turmeric on the neck and took a shower. He then remembered the cash bag and asked his wife to get it quickly. When she went to the scooter, she found out that someone had broken open the lock of the boot space and stolen the cash bag.</p>.<p>A few minutes laters, Raghavendra got a phone call from an auto driver who informed him that he had found his bag on a road towards Devarachikkanahalli. The auto driver got Raghavendra’s phone number from a bank passbook and cheque book found in the bag. There was no cash in it.</p>.<p><strong>Suspicion on 6 bikers</strong></p>.<p>Hulimavu police inspector Mahesh K checked the CCTV footage of the bank and Raghavendra’s book and zeroed in on six men riding on three motorbikes. All of them wore masks and helmets.</p>.<p>The footage shows the men throwing something on Raghavendra and tailing him until his house. As Raghavendra ran into the home, the gang breaks into the scooter and escapes with the cash bag towards Devarachikkanahalli, according to the footage.</p>.<p>However, the registration numbers of the gang’s two-wheelers aren’t clearly visible in the footage because they rode very fast, a police officer said.</p>