The CCTV footage shows the accused leaving the temple premises after having food at the 'bhandara' organised by the temple authorities for the poor, only to return hours later to steal the necklace
The Ambe Maata temple at Charkop
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Three gold necklaces worth more than Rs 2 lakh were stolen from the Ambe Maata temple at Charkop on September 17. The CCTV footage shows the accused leaving the temple premises after having food at the 'bhandara' organised by the temple authorities for the poor on puranmashi (full moon day), only to return hours later to steal the necklace.
"When I entered the temple the next morning, I found the necklaces missing. I assumed somebody had taken them off to clean them. It was only when we saw the CCTV footage that we learnt of the theft," said the temple priest, Ashwin Shah, who is also the trustee of the temple.
According to Shah, the accused entered the temple by jumping the main gate. "He first prayed to the deity, and then switched off the light at around 3.15 am. By 5.45 am, he’d fled with the gold," he said.
The temple was constructed ten years ago by Hiral Shah, who donated her land for this purpose. She now lives on the first floor of the bungalow that houses the temple on the ground floor. "Our pet dog, Sunny, tried to stop the thief, but he quite cleverly locked the dog inside a room. After stealing the ornament, he fled from the back door," said Trupti, Shah’s daughter, adding that at the time of incident three staffers were sleeping inside the temple.
The temple authorities approached the Charkop police with CCTV footage and registered the complaint on September 22. "We have registered the case. With the help of the CCTV footage, we are trying to identify the accused," said a police official from Charkop police station.
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