Bhubaneswar police arrest YouTube motivational speaker for burglary

New Delhi: Bhubaneswar police have arrested Manoj Kumar Singh, a resident of Cuttack and operator of a YouTube channel called ‘Change Your Life’, in connection with a series of burglaries, including a recent break-in at the home of a newly-married couple in Khandagiri. Singh had reportedly spent recent months posting videos promoting a life away from crime, according to the report.

Police recovered gold ornaments weighing around 200 grams, cash of Rs 1 lakh, a two-wheeler, and an iron rod allegedly used for break-ins.

Authorities described Singh as a habitual day-time burglar who targeted locked, standalone homes. The arrest followed a complaint from the couple, in which the woman, a bank employee, said the burglary occurred between 9 am and 2:30 pm on August 14, while they were out. Her husband, who owns a pharmacy, allegedly discovered the lock on the main door and the bedroom almirah broken, with 300 grams of gold ornaments and Rs 5 lakh in cash missing, according to the report.

Singh is believed to have carried a bag containing an iron rod and completed the break-in in around 10 minutes. Conversations with other jailed offenders reportedly helped police identify Singh, who had been arrested 10 times previously and was out on bail at the time.

Authorities also reported that Singh had mortgaged 82 grams of the stolen gold at a bank in Nayagarh, about 80 km from Bhubaneswar, for Rs 4.73 lakh. The remaining 100 grams of gold and cash were recovered from his possession, as per the report.