In a bizarre and persistent crime saga, a confectionery shop in Nadiad, Gujarat, has become the repeated target of burglars with a pronounced sweet tooth. Krishna Dairy Products has been raided an astonishing ten times over the past nine years, with thieves consistently showing more interest in pilfering quintals of traditional Indian sweets than in making off with large sums of cash.
A Bitter-Sweet Yearly Tradition
The shop's owner, Mukesh Pandit, 44, who started the business in 2015, describes the break-ins as a frustrating "yearly tradition." He revealed that while the intruders usually take some money, their primary loot is always mithai. "Most of the time, the thieves have decamped with some cash but loads of mithai — to the tune of quintals," Pandit stated, expressing his exhaustion with the cycle of crime.
Despite filing three formal FIRs and having police station diary entries made for other incidents, none of the burglaries have been solved. Pandit noted that while neighboring shops have faced three or four attempted break-ins, the frequency at his establishment is unmatched, setting a dubious record.
Security Measures Prove Futile
In a bid to deter the criminals, Pandit invested in security upgrades, including installing CCTV cameras. However, in a brazen move, the burglars stole the digital video recorder during one heist, treating it as "the cherry on top of their booty." Before he could reinstall the system, they struck again.
"I have done everything to stop the burglaries, from putting up iron grills to placing high-tech cameras," lamented Pandit. He pointed out a critical vulnerability: a police picket near his shop is often left unattended during VVIP visits and festivals when officers are reassigned to bandobust duty. The burglaries consistently occur on these very days.
The Latest and Largest Heist
The most recent theft occurred on November 30, following a familiar pattern but with increased scale. Using cutting tools, the thieves sliced through the grill on a rear window and cleaned out the shelves. Pandit estimates that the operation required a sizable gang. "One or two people can't steal quintals of sweets. A gang of 10 to 12 rolled up in a big vehicle," he explained.
The haul from this single incident was substantial, as per the tenth FIR filed with Nadiad rural police:
- 12kg of kaju katri worth Rs 12,000
- 73.5kg of mixed mawa sweets worth Rs 38,200
- 35kg of shrikhand worth Rs 13,300
- Mixed biscuits worth Rs 15,000
- 70kg of namkeen worth Rs 16,800
- Rs 3,500 in cash
This brings the total loss from the latest break-in to Rs 98,800.
Search for Answers and a 'Mithai Mafia'
With no suspects in sight, a bewildered Mukesh Pandit is left to speculate about the motives behind the targeted thefts. He wonders if a well-organized "mithai mafia" is exclusively focusing on his shop. While his friends find humor in the unusual plight, Pandit does not share their mirth.
His fervent hope now is that the police will view his case not as a series of petty thefts, but as a nine-year saga of high-calorie larceny that demands serious investigation and finally brings the sweet-toothed bandits their just desserts.
