Patna, Feb 7 (IANS): Unidentified burglars have targeted the house of a businessman in Patna's Sabalpur locality and stolen cash and jewellery worth crores of rupees, an official said on Friday.

The incident happened on Thursday night at the house of Dilip Kumar Singh, the nephew of an industrialist Vinay Kumar Singh, who discovered the burglary after returning from a family wedding.

The intruders had forced entry by breaking the door lock and ransacked the cupboards, stealing approximately Rs 55 lakh in cash and 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, valued around Rs 1 crore.

Rajiv Kumar, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Nadi police station, confirmed the incident, stating that they received information around 1 a.m. on Friday.

The police promptly initiated an investigation, involving a dog squad and fingerprint experts to gather evidence from the crime scene. They are also reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the culprits.

"An FIR has been registered, based on Dilip Kumar Singh's complaint, and the investigation is ongoing. Preliminary assessments suggest that the perpetrators were aware of the family's absence due to the wedding function, indicating a possibility of prior knowledge or surveillance," the SHO said.

As per the written complaint lodged by Dilip Kumar, he and his family members went to a wedding function on Thursday night. When they returned, doors and cupboards were found broken and valuables missing.

"Around Rs 55 lakh and 1.5 kg gold jewellery worth around Rs 1 crore were robbed from the house. The gold ornaments stolen from the house were ancestral, gifted and belonged to women in the house,” Dilip Kumar said.

Based on the complaint filed by Dilip Kumar, an FIR has been registered against unidentified individuals.

Sources claimed that the thieves had prior information about the family's plan to attend the marriage function.