Mumbai: An unidentified man slid into a diamond merchant‘s sixth-floor office in Bandra (west), and fled with 24 diamond-studded ornaments valued at Rs1.9 crore early on Monday.
The man gained access to Turner Heights building, walked up the stairs to the sixth floor, and scaled a pipe to enter the office by breaking open a locked window. As soon as he hopped in, he was caught on the cameras installed on the premises. Soon after, he switched off the recording system.
The valuables, which had been kept in five containers inside the office locker, were found missing on Monday morning when office employees reached the workplace and the theft of valuables came to light.
“A lot points to the involvement of an insider…” said an officer from Bandra police station, comparing the theft to the manner in which a burglar had gained access to actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence in Bandra.
Someone with knowledge of the office layout seems to be involved, said the police. The burglar used keys to open the locker using keys, and removed diamond jewellery from the five containers that contained the valuables. Also, the burglar showed knowledge of the office premises by locating the CCTV camera system and also by deactivating it soon after entering through a window, a police officer explained why they suspect inside involvement.
The office was closed over the weekend. It had been locked on Friday at 8.15pm, with Saturday and Sunday being off days. On Monday, when an office employee, identified only as ‘Kunal’ opened the office.
When Kunal found out that out of the 26 boxes in the locker, five boxes in which the 24 diamond-studded pieces of jewellery had been kept were missing, he informed the employer, diamond-merchant Samarth Bajaj (37). The merchant told his employees to contact the police and the insurance company about the theft. The merchant has informed the police that the keys to access the locker had been kept with Kunal and another employee, identified only as ‘Anil’. A criminal offence was registered on Tuesday.
TOI is in possession of a copy of the first information report. The diamond merchant, when contacted, declined to offer comment.
Multiple police teams have been formed to investigate the theft case, said senior inspector Sanjay Marathe of of Bandra police station. The unidentified thief has been captured on CCTV while entering the building premises and while leaving, said the police officer.
The police said they are reviewing criminal records besides scrutinising CCTV footage from the office and the building to identify and nab the burglar.
Mumbai: An unidentified man slid into a diamond mercchant’s sixth-floor office in Bandra (west), and fled with 24 diamond-studded ornaments valued at Rs1.9 crore early on Monday.
The man gained access to Turner Heights building, walked up the stairs to the sixth floor, and scaled a pipe to enter the office by breaking open a locked window. As soon as he hopped in, he was caught on the cameras installed on the premises. Soon after, he switched off the recording system.
The valuables, which had been kept in five containers inside the office locker, were found missing on Monday morning when office employees reached the workplace and the theft of valuables came to light.
“A lot points to the involvement of an insider…” said an officer from Bandra police station, comparing the theft to the manner in which a burglar had gained access to actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence in Bandra.
Someone with knowledge of the office layout seems to be involved, said the police. The burglar used keys to open the locker using keys, and removed diamond jewellery from the five containers that contained the valuables. Also, the burglar showed knowledge of the office premises by locating the CCTV camera system and and deactivating it soon after entering through a window, a police officer explained why they suspect inside involvement.
The office was closed over the weekend. It had been locked on Friday at 8.15pm, with Saturday and Sunday being off days. On Monday, when an office employee, identified only as ‘Kunal’ opened the office.
When Kunal found out that out of the 26 boxes in the locker, five boxes in which the 24 diamond-studded pieces of jewellery had been kept were missing, he informed the employer, diamond-merchant Samarth Bajaj (37). The merchant told his employees to contact the police and the insurance company about the theft. The merchant has informed the police that the keys to access the locker had been kept with Kunal and another employee, identified only as ‘Anil’. A criminal offence was registered on Tuesday.
TOI is in possession of a copy of the first information report. The diamond merchant, when contacted, declined to offer comment.
Multiple police teams have been formed to investigate the theft case, said senior inspector Sanjay Marathe of of Bandra police station. The unidentified thief has been captured on CCTV while entering the building premises and while leaving, said the police officer.
The police said they are reviewing criminal records besides scrutinising CCTV footage from the office and the building to identify and nab the burglar.