What started as a festive moment quickly escalated into a carefully executed jewellery heist. A young showroom employee first shared the news of his upcoming marriage, arranged a gathering with colleagues, and celebrated. However, by the following morning, the same event had allegedly become the prelude to a planned robbery worth Rs 4 crore.
Arrests in the Rs 4-Crore Jewellery Theft
Police arrested three individuals in connection with the theft: Tanishq employee Nitin Verma (23), his girlfriend Kajal Verma (22), and his father Sanjay Verma (52). The trio is accused of stealing jewellery worth over Rs 4 crore from the Tanishq showroom at Raj Nagar District Centre on June 12. Authorities said the motive was to fund the couple’s wedding.
How the Employee Planned the Heist
Nitin had been working at the showroom for only about a month and a half, but in that short time, he allegedly learned the store’s internal operations, security arrangements, and the location of high-value jewellery.
A day before the incident, he hosted a party for staff members, announcing that his marriage with Kajal had been fixed. During the gathering, he allegedly encouraged cashier Gautam Raj, who held the showroom keys, to drink heavily. Later, he offered to drop him home and is said to have taken the main entrance key from his bag.
Entry Into the Showroom and Execution
According to police, the next morning around 7am, Nitin returned with an accomplice. CCTV footage showed them unlocking the shutter with the stolen key and entering the premises without suspicion.
DCP Dhawal Jaiswal stated: “It took just 25 minutes to carry out the theft. They did not attempt to steal anything from the ground, second or third floors. They knew gold, diamond and gem-studded jewellery was stored on the first floor and targeted only that section.”
Police said one accomplice stayed outside to keep watch while Nitin and another person went inside. They collected jewellery worth around Rs 4 crore and escaped in a vehicle parked at a distance to avoid detection.
Security Lapses Exposed
The investigation also highlighted serious security failures at the showroom. Despite storing jewellery worth over Rs 50 crore, there was no alarm system in place. Only one security guard was deployed at night, and he reportedly left duty around 7am.
Although CCTV feeds were meant to be monitored remotely by the company’s head office, the intrusion went unnoticed even though the suspects remained inside for over 25 minutes.
Police Investigation and Recovery
ACP Suryabali Maurya said Nitin and Kajal planned the theft together, while Sanjay Verma helped in selling the stolen jewellery. The accused allegedly sold some ornaments at low prices, claiming they needed money for medical treatment.
Authorities have recovered around 2kg of gold jewellery worth Rs 3.1 crore along with Rs 6.5 lakh in cash. However, several associates remain absconding, and efforts are ongoing to trace them and recover the remaining stolen items.
An FIR has been registered against the accused for theft, criminal conspiracy, and common intention.
[With TOI inputs]
