Delhi: Thieves Steal Diamonds And Gold Worth Rs 24-25 Crore

In an audacious act reminiscent of scenes from famous heist movies, a gang of unidentified criminals recently executed one of the most significant thefts ever witnessed in Delhi. Under the cover of night, on the border between Sunday and Monday, three individuals targeted a venerable 75-year-old jewelry store, Umrao Singh Jewellers, located in Jangpura's Bhogal area in Southeast Delhi. However, the incident remained concealed until Tuesday due to the weekly market closure on Mondays.

According to law enforcement authorities familiar with the case, the thieves struck at approximately 11:45 pm. Their mode of entry likely involved traversing through adjacent buildings, leveraging the close proximity of these structures to the jewelry shop's three-story premises. Once atop the store's terrace, they gained access by forcing open a wooden door that was merely latched, not securely locked from the inside. Subsequently, they systematically dismantled the shop's security infrastructure, disconnecting six closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs), WiFi, and alarm systems before proceeding to the ground floor.

The ground floor of the jewelry store houses a 10x10 strongroom, which serves as a connection to the basement. This strongroom held the primary target for the thieves, as it contained gold and jewelry valued at a staggering Rs 24-25 crore, along with Rs 5 lakh in cash. Employing a drill, the culprits created a square hole measuring 1.5x1, sufficiently wide for one of them to squeeze through. Once inside, they meticulously collected all the valuable jewelry and cash, storing their loot in bags conveniently available within the shop.

The heist operation took approximately three to four hours to complete. After ransacking the strongroom, the thieves did not stop there, seizing additional gold and diamond ornaments displayed on the ground floor. They briefly ventured to other floors but found mostly inventory, documents, and raw materials. Their exit followed the same route as their entry, ultimately fleeing the scene in a Bolero vehicle discreetly parked in a nearby market bylane.

Remarkably, the jewelry store, established in 1948, lacked a dedicated security guard on its premises at the time of the theft. Nearby security personnel were engaged in patrolling duties elsewhere, providing an opportunity for the thieves to strike. The choice of Sunday for the heist was deliberate, considering that the area observes a market closure on Mondays, ensuring minimal external scrutiny.

The buildings adjacent to the jewelry store, from where the criminals possibly gained entry, were primarily residential. One of these buildings had a floor rented out to a tuition center. The modus operandi exploited the accessibility of building terraces and entrance gates, which typically remain open throughout the day. Authorities are now questioning residents of these houses to ascertain whether they heard any suspicious sounds or noticed unfamiliar individuals entering or exiting the building. Notably, surveillance footage from a CCTV camera outside the shop revealed that the three men involved were not wearing masks during their operation.

The stolen items, which collectively weighed around 30 kilograms, comprised over 3,000 pieces of high-value gold and diamond jewelry, including necklaces, pendants, earrings, and raw gold bars. A senior police officer expressed suspicion of insider involvement in the heist, suggesting that the perpetrators had conducted thorough reconnaissance prior to the operation. Additionally, they seemed to possess knowledge about the ground floor's concentration of high-value items.

DCP (Southeast) Rajesh Deo provided an update on the investigation, stating, "The burgled shop had several CCTVs; however, they were rendered dysfunctional around midnight on September 24. A case has been registered at Hazrat Nizamuddin police station under IPC sections of theft and house trespass, and several teams have been formed to crack the case."

Meanwhile, Mahavir Singh Jain, the shop owner, expressed his disbelief at the incident, stating, "We have around six to seven employees working at our shop for the last 20 years... they are like family. We don't suspect any of them of having played a role in the robbery so far. The thieves cut all the CCTV wires at the shop... we never expected such an incident to happen."