Bangalore, May 21 (IANS) Five people were arrested for allegedly stealing four antique idols valued at Rs.1 crore from a place of worship in Karnataka's Chikamagalur district, a senior police official said late Friday.

"On a tip-off, a special squad of the city crime branch raided a shop dealing in antique goods in (upscale) Jayanagar and seized the idols, made of five precious metals (panchaloha). On interrogation, the accused confessed to have stolen them from Mahanta Mutt at Niluvagil hamlet in Chikamagalur district April 9," Bangalore Joint Police Commissioner Alok Kumar told reporters here.

Chikamagalur is about 250km from here. The five accused were remanded to police custody for investigation.

"The recovered idols are about 400 years old. Weighing 1-3 kg, they were representation of Hindu god Krishna on a serpent (Kalinga Mardhana), Lakshminarayana Swamy, Krishna as a child god and goddess Lakshmi," Kumar added.

The accused were trying to lure antique dealers and hobbyists to the shop and sell the idols for millions of rupees.