Maha: Watchman, his wife steal 6 kg gold worth Rs 3.20 crores in Ulhasnagar

Pic/Navneet Barhate

A watchman, along with his wife and associates, used a gas cutter to break open a vault and stole golden jewellery worth Rs 3.20 crore from Vijayalaxmi Jewellers located at Ulhasnagar camp number 1, Shiru Chowk.

Pic/Navneet Barhate

The shop was closed on Tuesday, of which the watchman took advantage. According to preliminary investigations the robbery occurred on Monday night around 11.30 pm.

Investigations have revealed that the shop owner, Purushottam Badlani (61), discovered the theft on Wednesday afternoon when he opened the shop. He found the vault, which contained the jewellery, had been cut in three places and all the jewellery was missing. The estimated value of the stolen golden jewellery is Rs 3.20 crore.

Pic/Navneet Barhate

Badlani informed the police that the watchman, Mahesh Nepali, and his wife have been missing since Monday. CCTV footage from the shop showed a total of four to five individuals involved in the theft. They used four gas cylinders to cut open the vault.

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According to an official from Ulhasnagar police station, the preliminary information suggests that approximately 6 kg of gold has been stolen. The watchman and four others were involved in cutting open the vault, while the wife and two others kept a lookout outside the shop. Teams have been formed to track down the accused individuals.

Pic/Navneet Barhate