A meticulously planned theft unfolded in Ahmedabad's Naranpura area on Tuesday, resulting in the theft of a gold bangle valued at Rs 1.5 lakh from a jewellery store. The incident took place at Ambika Jewellers, located near the Naranpura Telephone Exchange.
How the theft was executed
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by Ketan Patel, the owner of Ambika Jewellers, the accused first visited the shop on May 7, posing as a customer interested in purchasing gold jewellery. The man, aged between 30 and 35 years, initially inquired about a gold ring and chain and spent considerable time negotiating prices. Before leaving, he told the jeweller that he would return after arranging funds for the purchase, as stated in the complaint.
The man returned the next day and allegedly asked for bank account details and a photograph of a cheque, claiming he would transfer the payment online before collecting the jewellery. However, he did not return that day.
The theft on May 14
According to the complaint, the accused came back to the jewellery shop on May 14 at around 1:20 pm when Patel was alone at the establishment. He again asked to see the gold ring and later expressed interest in purchasing a chain instead. While Patel went towards the locker area inside the shop to fetch the chain, the accused allegedly took advantage of the moment and stole a gold bangle weighing around 11.2 grams that had been kept near the weighing scale. A woman customer had dropped it off earlier for repair work.
Patel told police that he returned to find the bangle missing and the accused running out of the store. The jeweller allegedly chased him briefly, but the man managed to cross the road and flee towards Pallav Crossroads.
Description of the accused and police investigation
The accused was wearing an orange designer shirt, black jeans, and a black cap at the time of the theft. Police are scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify him. Ghatlodia police registered a theft case and launched a search for the accused.
