JOIN USRS 3.45 cr missing from safe of gold firm
Police suspect that more than four persons were involved in the theft as the cash must have weighed anywhere between 50 and 55 kg.
The theft came to light on Monday morning when one of the employees Suresh came to open the office. He got suspicious, seeing the locks on the main gate and two other gates broken. He went inside, and was shocked to see the two safe lockers open and the cash missing. Interestingly, Dhan Singh (32), a Nepali security guard of the office who was working for the last five years has also gone missing.
Ulsoor Gate Sub-Division ACP Gachinakatti told Deccan Herald that Naresh (42) was in the wholsale gold business since 1993.
Around 21 employees work from 9.30 am to 10.30 pm with the firm. Everyday, they take orders for gold from retail businessmen and supply to them between 18 and 30 kg of gold bricks.
Naresh has converted a small portion in the fourth floor as a parallel bank office where there are machines to count curren-cy notes. The firm deposits between Rs three to five crore w-ith Corporation Bank, Chamarajpet branch, daily. On Saturday, the firm was forced to keep the cash in their safe lockers as the banks are closed.
“There were currency notes of Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations. The cash requires two suitcases, or one big aluminium box to transport. The suitcases weigh around 25 kg each if they are packed with the cash. Hence, we suspect more than four persons are involved in the act,” said the ACP.
The company is insured to the tune of Rs 100 crore, added the police.
Modus operandi
Suspects have broken open the main gate and two other gates with an iron rod.
They also meticulously broke open rolling shutters and collapsible gates to gain entry into the office.
Interestingly, Suresh, a trusted employee of the owner had placed keys of the two safe lockers in a draw at the reception counter on Saturday night. They took out the keys, opened the lockers, collected the cash, kept the keys in the locks itself and fled, said the police.
The office is equipped with CCTVs but the suspects had managed to change the direction of the cameras. Moreover, the CCTVs were not working as they were not connected to power.
The cops are perplexed over the safe lockers keys which were left in the reception on the ill-fated day. According to the owner, the key to the main safe is kept in the owner’s chamber.
When the police questioned both the owner and Suresh, they admitted that it was a case of negligence.
Constable found dead
A police constable Nagaraj (23) was found hanging at his house at Doddatogur in Electronic City police limits on Sunday. Nagaraj hailing from Malavalli in Mandya district was attached to the City Armed Reserve Force.
He was staying with his brother Venkatesh. The incident came to light when Venkatesh returned home around afternoon. Reason for his death is yet to be ascertained. It is said that he was suffering from acute stomach pain for the past few months.
He was undergoing a treatment, but in vain. He had told his brother and colleagues that he wanted to put an end to his stomach ache, added the police. However, he has not left any suicide note. He joined the services in 2008, added the police.