Mangalore: Thieves Dig their Way into Jewellery Store, Loot Ornaments Worth Rs 6.9 Lac

Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)

Mangalore, Dec 10: In what seemed to be a pre-planned theft, a jewellery store located at Bendorewelll here was targetted and gold and silver jewellery worth Rs 6.9 lac was stolen.

The theft occured at Manjushree Jewellers, Bendorewell, on the intervening night of Sunday December 9 and Monday December 10.

The theft came to light on Monday morning when the owner, Manjunath Shet, opened the store and found the place ransacked.

The thieves entered the store by digging a hole into its rear wall, from a small gully that runs behind the store. Though a lady in the neighbourhood is said to have heard sounds, she did not suspect anything amiss, assuming that it came from some work going on in the area.

As the main shutters were left intact, the theft was not discovered until Manjunath Shet walked into the store on Monday morning.

The thieves decamped with 4.9 kg of silver articles, 21 grams of gold ornaments, and other jewellery worth Rs 18,000 which had been kept aside for repair. Altogether, the value of the stolen items has been estimated at Rs 6.9 lac.

Kadri police who arrived at the spot said that at least two or three persons were involved in the theft, as they had dug a hole to enter the store. The wall was made of stone which made the thieves' job easier, they said. It is suspected that the thieves were aware of this fact and came prepared to dig the hole.

Kadri police are investigating.