Rajkot heist: Burglar steals 102 high-end watches worth Rs 70L in 23 minutes

RAJKOT: In a daring pre-dawn burglary, a lone thief stole expensive wristwatches and cash, worth about Rs 70 lakh, from a prominent showroom in Trikon Baug, an area of the city usually bustling with activity all round the clock.
The burglary lasted 23 minutes and the thief stole only the high-end watches, according to investigators.
The break-in, which took place in the heart of the city, prompted visits from senior officials, including police commissioner Brajesh Kumar Jha, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 2), DCP (crime) and officials of A Division police, detection of crime branch and the special operations group (SOG).

According to the FIR, the thief made away with 102 watches of various brands. It was found that 19 watches of the Nebula brand worth Rs 45.53 lakh, 34 Giles watches worth Rs 9.94 lakh, 16 Raga watches worth Rs 2.40 lakh, 16 of the Seiko brand worth Rs 6.40 lakh and 17 Guess watches worth Rs 2.55 lakh were stolen. In addition, Rs 4 lakh in cash kept in a drawer was also stolen.
The burglary came to light when staff noticed the watches missing from display shelves and the cash missing from the counter drawer. What surprised the police and the showroom owner was that the shop is barely 100m from the A Division police station.
Speaking to the media, assistant commissioner of police (south zone) B J Chaudhary said the thief entered by raising the shutter using a jack-like instrument and carried out the theft between 4.42am and 5.05am. CCTV footage shows a single thief entered the premises. Initial investigations suggest that four or five accomplices may have been stationed outside to keep watch.
The footage is being analysed, and forensic teams, the dog squad and fingerprint experts are assisting in the probe. Investigators are also reviewing older footage to determine if the thief visited the showroom earlier for reconnaissance. "The burglar appears to be highly skilled, using a jack-like tool to swiftly raise the shutter and enter through the main entrance without triggering alarms," said a senior police officer.
The showroom owner, Ravi Chotai, 42, filed a complaint at A Division police station against unidentified persons.