Mumbai Crime: Thief steals 1.7kg gold by drilling into jewellery store

Month-old Vasai jewellery shop robbed in broad daylight. Pics/Hanif Patel

Just a little less than a month-old and already stripped bare! Shree Chamunda Jewellers in Naigaon area of Vasai (east) was robbed in less than two hours flat by an unidentified person yesterday. The robber gained access to the shop by entering the one next to it, which was closed, and then making a hole through the common wall. He decamped with 1.7 kg of gold ornaments worth Rs 34.9 lakh.

Sources said the incident took place when the owner of the shop, which was opened on August 22, Bhayrav Singh, was out for lunch. On returning, he saw the drawers open, items spread on the floor and valuables missing. He also found the hole from where the robber entered.

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A team from Waliv police station reached the spot, after Singh called them up.

"The culprit made a big hole from the side of the neighbouring shop, after cutting open the iron grille, and entered the jewellery store. The CCTV camera installed inside the shop captured the entire incident. We suspect that the accused had complete knowledge of the shop," said an officer.

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"We have registered a case of house break-in, under sections 452 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code, and formed three teams for investigation. We are also banking on the CCTV footage to help us to identify the accused."

How it happened
An unidentified man broke into the jewellery shop by entering the one next to it, which was closed, and making a hole through the common wall. He then ransacked the shop, fleeing with 1.7 kg of gold ornaments worth Rs 34.9 lakh. The police suspect that the culprit had complete knowledge of the shop and its layout.