On 26th September, the national capital Delhi reported a major incident of burglary where ornaments worth ₹20-25 crores were stolen. The suspicion of the incident being a foul insurance play, Vikas Shokeen, Insurance laws advocate, said in an interview, “It appears to be an insider’s job in this case because the person knew exactly where the locker was kept.” He further added, “If there is an involvement of any insider then insurance companies may repudiate the claim in this case. Also, according to certain clauses in the insurance policies, if there is forceful entry, or breakage of any door, or a wall in this case, so if the policy has been adequate then he will definitely get the claim in this case.”
A similar incident occurred earlier in Bangalore, where a jeweller committed insurance fraud by selling 3.7 Kg of gold but framing it as a robbery. So, the suspect of the owner or an insider being involved in this Delhi jewellery heist cannot be totally ruled out. Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Southeast Delhi, said, “Ornaments worth nearly ₹20-25 crores was stolen from Umrao Singh Jewellery shop in Jangpura’s Bhogal locality. The incident took place post-midnight on Monday (Sept 25).
The thieves reached the strong room that has the lockers of the jewellery shop by creating a hole in the wall near it.” According to the officials, the thieves entered from the terrace of the four-floor building and reached the ground floor, where the strong room was located. Umrao Singh jewellery shop’s strong room had three steel walls and one brick wall. The brick wall was targeted by the thieves.
The shop is located in a congested commercial area, with buildings and shops adjacent to it. It is reported that no street is behind the shop. So, the question is how did the robbers enter the shop? Is there any employee involved in this heist? Or was it a professional gang that carried out one of Delhi’s biggest robberies? Another suspicious question is, if drilling activities occurred in the middle of the night or during the day, then how did no one hear it? Director, Rathore Detective Agency, said in an interview, “Lots of instruments have technologies that make no sound. Only 4-5 inches of hole was made which would have taken hardly 15-20 minutes.”
Rajesh Deo reported, “We have called the forensic team. We have not opened the locker yet. After we open it, we will find out the exact stock gone.” Dr. Vikram Singh, Former DGP, Uttar Pradesh, said in an interview, “These are super speciality gangs who specialize in these kinds of thefts. It’s not an ordinary theft.” The owner of Umrao Singh Jewellery shop in Bhogal Area of Jangpura in Southeast Delhi stated that he closed his shop at around 8 P.M on 24th September and re-opened on 26th September (Tuesday). The store remained closed on Monday as usual.
During this time frame between Sunday night and Tuesday morning, the unidentified burglars made a hole in the shop’s wall, broke into the strong room, stole gold and diamond jewelleries and ornaments worth ₹20-25 crores, and fled the scene. The CCTV cameras were found disconnected. Further investigation into this case is going on.
By, freelance journalist, reporting for true to life