Chikkaballapur, 24 Dec

A gang of unidentified men burgled a jewellery store here and decamped with around 140 kg of silver ornaments worth nearly Rs 3 crore, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place at AU Jewellers on BB Road, reportedly after midnight on Monday.

According to Superintendent of Police Kushal Chousky, the thieves broke open two main locks of the shop’s front door using a sharp object and gained entry. They looted silver jewellery kept in the display showcases, while gold and other valuables stored inside a locker were left untouched as the culprits failed to open it.

The thieves also disconnected CCTV cables and took away the DVR, leaving behind no electronic evidence. Police said this clearly indicates the involvement of professional criminals.

The incident came to light on Tuesday morning when proprietor Nandakumar and staff arrived to open the shop and noticed the front door ajar. On entering, they found most of the silver articles missing and immediately alerted the police.

Police rushed to the spot along with fingerprint experts and a sniffer dog squad. Nandakumar said BB Road is usually busy till midnight, and the burglary likely occurred later when movement was minimal.

Two special teams have been formed to trace the culprits, and police are gathering details of similar cases reported elsewhere.