Brazilian man's Bengaluru burglary: Two luxury watches worth ₹3.3L stolen from airport's duty-free store

Ravi, the accused reportedly remarked the staff that he would be remembered as one of the store's "best foreign customers," before leaving.

In a startling incident, a Brazilian national allegedly stole two luxury watches from the duty-free store at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport before boarding his flight home, reported The Indian Express. The suspect reportedly told a staff member, "You will never forget me." The theft occurred on January 4 at Ethos Summit, a high-end watch boutique at Terminal 2. However, it only came to light on January 13 when the store staff filed a formal complaint. The accused was identified as 34-year-old Ravi Gama De Sa.

Two luxury watches stolen from Bengaluru airport's terminal-2 on January 4 which came into light recently. (Pic for representation)

How did the shop lifting happen?

According to the report, Ravi entered the store around 12:50 am, expressing interest in purchasing wristwatches. Assisted by employee Ilayaraja, Ravi initially bought a Tag Heuer watch and made the payment. He then requested to see more models priced near $1,000. While Ilayaraja was retrieving these models, Ravi allegedly discreetly concealed a Frederique Constant watch valued at ₹94,500.

Spending over an hour browsing, Ravi selected three additional premium watches. During this time, he left his passport and boarding pass on the counter. Under the pretext of retrieving these documents, he allegedly slipped another Frederique Constant watch worth ₹2.4 lakh, into his wallet.

Before departing, Ravi reportedly remarked to Ilayaraja that he would be remembered as one of the store's "best foreign customers." This comment gained significance when, two days later, a routine inventory check revealed the missing watches. The staff later reviewed CCTV footage and confirmed Ravi's involvement in the theft.

Authorities revealed that Ravi had legitimately purchased four luxury watches totaling ₹8 lakh in value in addition to the two he allegedly stole. Currently, Ravi is in Brazil, beyond the jurisdiction of Indian law enforcement. However, officials stated that legal action could be pursued if he returns to Bengaluru.

A case has been registered against Ravi under Section 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to theft in a building, tent, or vessel used as a human dwelling or for the custody of property, the report further added.