Covid a distant memory, why supermarkets in Bengaluru are forcing customers to take off their masks

When Rajesh was asked how the thieves hide stolen stuff, he said, “They will keep stolen items inside their college bags or in shirts or pants. Then, they will bring some items to the cash counter to bill, which will be of a lower cost. There are stores that do not allow bags inside. However, smaller outlets don’t have that privilege.”

Asked why they don’t file a police complaint, he said, “It is not about one person. They steal items worth Rs 1,000-2,000, and the police would laugh at us if we said this. The same person rarely returns, and there are multiple people who do it.”

A senior police officer said while theft cases are not commonly reported at supermarkets, incidents such as robbery and other crimes where masks are involved pose a challenge to the police.

“In many recent thefts and robberies, we have observed that masks are being used to shield the perpetrators from being identified by the police. In cases of chain snatchings and thefts, we had similar issues before Covid-19 where the culprits used to wear helmets. However, with the subsequent capture on CCTV, we were able to catch them as they had to remove the helmets somewhere along their escape route. The use of masks has made it easier for them to evade identification,” the officer explained.

“It’s not just about minor thefts. Even in the case of the Rameshwaram cafe bomb blast, the main suspect who left the IED in the restaurant was also wearing a mask. It has become a kind of uniform for thieves,” the officer said.