Pune Jewellery Store Targeted in Coordinated Gold Theft
In a brazen daylight heist, three women allegedly stole gold earrings valued at approximately Rs 2.35 lakh from a jewellery store located in the Karvenagar area of Pune. The incident occurred around 6:30 PM on January 28, but the theft only came to light later during a routine inventory check.
Discovery of the Theft and Police Complaint
The store owner, Omkar Malve (30), a resident of Karvenagar, conducted a detailed stock verification on Thursday evening. It was during this process that he noticed a significant discrepancy: several gold earrings were missing from the inventory. Suspecting foul play, Malve immediately reviewed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the shop.
The CCTV review confirmed his worst fears. The footage clearly showed that a theft had indeed taken place on the evening of January 28. Following this discovery, Omkar Malve approached the Warje Malwadi police station and lodged a formal complaint against the three unidentified women.
"After examining the CCTV footage, the owner approached us and lodged a complaint against the three women," confirmed an officer from the Warje police station, who is actively investigating the case.
Modus Operandi: Distraction and Deception
According to the preliminary investigation by the police, the three women entered the jewellery shop under the guise of being genuine customers. Their strategy was one of deliberate confusion and distraction.
The women allegedly worked in a coordinated manner to overwhelm the single shop attendant. One of them asked to see various gold chains, while the others simultaneously demanded to examine finger rings and different styles of earrings. This created a chaotic situation as the attendant tried to cater to all their requests at once.
"As the shop attendant displayed the jewellery, the women allegedly distracted him and stole small items that went unnoticed at the time," the investigating officer elaborated. The stolen items were primarily small gold earrings, which were easier to conceal during the commotion.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigation
The trio left the store without purchasing any jewellery. Unaware of the theft, the shop attendant later returned all the displayed items to their respective trays. It was only during the subsequent stock check that the missing earrings were identified, leading to the review of CCTV footage and the police complaint.
The Warje police have registered a case and are analyzing the CCTV footage to identify the three women. The investigation is focused on tracing their movements before and after the incident. This theft highlights the sophisticated methods sometimes employed by criminals targeting retail jewellery stores, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance and security measures.
