4-member gang robs 60 kg gold from Tirunelveli shop

Police said, the total quantity of jewels that was robbed from the shop would be around 60 kg and valued approximately at Rs 20 crore.

Police sources said that the shop owner Babu, who owns a chain of jewellery shops at Thoothukudi, Kovilpatti and Nagercoil too, had locked the Palayamkottai outlet on Thursday night and had gone home. However, when he returned to the shop on Friday morning, he was shocked to see the entire stock of jewels missing. 

He immediately informed the police and a team, led by Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar, came to the shop and conducted a preliminary investigation during which it came to light that the burglars had entered the shop by cutting the metal roof on the third floor using gas welders. 

Further investigations revealed that construction activity was going on in a site near the jewellery shop and the burglars had reached the jewellery shop from the top of that building. 

The burglars during their operation have also damaged most of the CCTV cameras in the shop. However, some CCTV cameras placed in the remote locations escaped the burglars in which their images have got recorded. 

The footage obtained from the CCTVs showed that four men were involved in the heist. The Palayamkottai Crime Branch personnel are investigating the heist and two special teams have been formed to nab the accused. 

Forensic experts and  a dog squad were brought to the crime scene and fingerprints, were also lifted from the spot. 

During a check of the shop, it came to light that around 60 kg of jewels kept on the three floors and in the safety lockers were looted by the gang.