Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Dec 8: Unknown thieves entered a house at Ukkuda in Vittal Casba village in the taluk late night on Wednesday December 6, thoroughly searched for hidden ornaments and made good their escape with 44 sovereigns of gold ornaments worth Rs 10.5 lac. The house that was burgled is located near Ukkuda check post and the thieves seemed to have waited for an opportunity to sneak into the house when no one was around.

The thieves smashed the protective wall behind the house, broke open the rear door and gained entry into the house, which belongs to Abbas Haji from Ukkuda. Haji had locked his home at 5.30 pm on Wednesday and left to attend Mehndi ceremony scheduled in the house of a relative at Kumbra, along with his family members. The family members returned home after the function at 12.30 am the same night and found that the rear door was wide open, clothes inside the house were scattered around, and cupboards inside the house had been opened and sifted through.

The thieves were found to have demolished two-feet long concrete pillars fitted in the sit-out of the house and cut open the window. They gained entry into the hall by breaking a door that was blocking their entry apparently with the help of an iron rod. They succeeded in taking away gold ornaments as bove, which had been concealed in a tin box full of rice.

In the recent past, the police department, which observed anti crime month, had distributed pamphlets to villagers, advising them to safe-keep valuables in bank lockers, kitchens or store rooms instead of cupboards. Perhaps the family followed this advice. The thieves seemed to be either very smart or knew in advance that ornaments had been hidden somewhere. In all likelihood, locals having information about the presence of ornaments in the house would have been a party to this theft.

Immediately after finding out about the theft, the family informed Vittal police station. Police personnel visited the house and promised to pursue the case vigorously. Town police circle inspector,Prakash, too visited the house on Thursday and began investigation, duly aided by sniffer dogs and finger print experts. A case has been registered in Vittal police station. As the sniffer dog led the police till the asphalted road located 50 metres from the house and looked here and there, it is assumed that the thieves would have fled in a vehicle from there. The police are checking the possibility of identifying the thieves with the help of CCTV cameras installed in Ukkuda check post.