Trichy: In one of the biggest thefts in the recent past, robbers have allegedly stolen Rs 50 crore worth gold ornaments from Lalitha Jewellery showroom near Chathiram bus stand here.
According to sources, robbers struck post midnight by breaking a portion of the wall at the back side of the showroom.
They gained entry into the first floor of the store and decamped with gold and diamond jewels worth Rs 50 crore. The incident came to light when employees opened the store this morning.
City Police Commissioner, Trichy, Amalraj visited the spot and conducted inquiries. A case has been registered in this regard and special teams have been formed to nab the robbers.
It is suspected that two persons were involved in the robbery. Police have obtained CCTV footages in the locality and are checking the visuals for suspicious movements. They are also tracing phone calls made and received from last midnight to the wee hours of today around the showroom.
“Inspector General of police V Varadharaju too visited the spot and conducted inquiries,” sources said. Forensic experts were collecting samples from the spot and sources said some fingerprints have been obtained.
In January this year, masked culprits broke into a branch of Punjab National Bank in Trichy district and made away with the contents of five lockers. The robbery was discovered when employees returned from their weekly holiday.
The bank is located at Samayapuram near the Trichy-Chennai national highway. According to the police, the burglars gained entry into the bank by breaking a hole on the back of the building. The bank shares a wall with a private school behind it. The police had said that a gas welding machine was used to enter the premises. Once inside, they left the main locker untouched but took money and jewellery from five private lockers.