In a brazen daylight robbery, a family in Ludhiana's Shivaji Nagar area was duped by two men posing as mobile locksmiths, who made off with a stash of gold and silver jewellery. The incident, which occurred on December 15, was discovered by the homeowners a full 48 hours later, leaving the local police scrambling to identify the suspects.
The Deceptive Repair Job
The complainant, Abhishek Kumar, has informed the police that he and his wife were at home when they noticed two men offering lock and key repair services on their street. Seeing an opportunity to fix a malfunctioning lock on their almirah (wardrobe), the couple invited the men inside their residence.
Investigators from Division Number 3 police station believe the repair work was merely a clever distraction. While one of the men ostensibly worked on the lock, the other likely gained access to the contents of the locker, stealing the valuables without raising immediate suspicion. The family remained unaware of the theft until December 17, when they opened the locker to find their jewellery missing.
Police Launch Manhunt
The police have registered a case against the two unidentified suspects. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gurmukh Singh, the investigating officer, stated that the department is awaiting a complete inventory from the family to determine the exact scale of the loss.
"The family has been asked to provide the cops with a detailed list of the missing jewellery to ascertain the exact financial loss," ASI Singh said. The primary line of inquiry involves scanning CCTV footage from the Shivaji Nagar locality to trace the movements and identity of the duo, who are believed to be operating as itinerant repairmen.
A Warning for Residents
This incident serves as a stark reminder for residents to exercise extreme caution when allowing unknown service providers into their homes. The Ludhiana police have urged people to:
- Always verify the credentials of repair personnel.
- Avoid leaving valuables in plain sight or in easily accessible storage during such visits.
- Report any suspicious individuals or activities in their neighbourhood immediately.
The search for the two suspects continues as the police work to piece together the events of December 15 and recover the stolen haul.
