Bengaluru: The Bommanahalli police have busted an inter-State gang of thieves for targeting churches in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and stealing cars in Karnataka and other southern states.

The police have identified the arrested persons as Alex, 29, from Ernakulam, Sujoy, 35, from Kannur, and Jayaprakash, 35, from Tamil Nadu.

The police, while investigating a car theft in Bommanahalli, arrested Jayaprakash, who spilled the beans on the other car thefts, including in Madiwala, JP Nagar, Cubbon Park, and other areas. They have recovered six SUVs lifted from various parts of the city, Goa, and Tamil Nadu.

Acting on the information provided by Jayaprakash, the police nabbed Alex and Sujoy, who were involved in burglaries at Velankani Church in Tamil Nadu, apart from three other churches in Kerala.