Mohali: 2 hairstylists held for Phase-10 gold jewellery robbery
Around 3.40 pm, the two accused entered the Phase-10 store, held the shop owner’s mother at gunpoint, and looted around 350 grams of gold jewellery
Over nine months after a brazen daylight gold jewellery heist in Mohali’s bustling Phase-10 market, police have cracked the case with the arrest of two accused.
Holding the shop owner’s mother at gunpoint, the duo had made off with 350 grams of gold, leaving shopkeepers and residents in the area shocked.
Identified as Amir Khan, alias Ali, 27, a native of Haryana and currently residing in Sector 52, Chandigarh, and Sagar, 22, a resident of Mohali, the accused had been quietly running a salon in Phase 11, leading double lives as hairstylists, following the broad daylight robbery, said police.
Following an exhaustive months-long probe, combined with human and technical intelligence, the accused were arrested from their salon, “Scissor Man”, by a CIA team led by in-charge Harminder Singh.
Police recovered a .32-bore pistol, five live cartridges, three gold chains, two artificial bangles and a black T-shirt, inscribed with “Gangster”, that Sagar wore during the robbery.
According to police, the heist took place on June 27, 2024.
The complainant, Kunal Singh Rangi of Aerocity, had stepped out for some work in the market, leaving his mother, Geetanjali, alone at their jewellery shop.
Around 3.40 pm, the two accused entered the store, held her at gunpoint, and looted around 350 grams of gold jewellery. The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed inside the shop.
The duo had arrived on a stolen Honda Activa scooter, which they parked at a distance from the shop. However, while trying to escape, the scooter failed to start, forcing them to flee on foot as people began to chase them.
Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek said Amir Khan frequently visited the Phase-10 market and usually saw the victim sitting alone in the jewellery shop, following which he conspired the robbery with Sagar.
The accused initially stole a scooter to carry out the crime, and Amir travelled to Uttar Pradesh to procure an illegal weapon and cartridges for the heist.
Before executing the plan, the duo disguised themselves with fake beards, masks and caps.
During interrogation, they revealed that after finding some jewellery to be artificial, they dumped that in a drain in Phase 9 a few days later.
Meanwhile, Sagar kept the gold jewellery and his black T-shirt at his mother’s rented accommodation in Kharar. These have been recovered.
The duo is facing charges under Sections 392 (robbery) and 34 (acts done in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC, along with Section 25 of the Arms Act, registered at the Phase-11 police station following the June robbery.
‘Gangster’ T-shirt gives gang away
According to robbery, post-robbery, both men resumed normal lives, running their salon and assuming they had left no trace.
But the CCTV footage captured one of the accused wearing a black T-shirt with the word “Gangster” printed on it. This led police to Sagar, who was spotted moving around the market wearing the same T-shirt, and eventually to Amir as well.
Investigators found the T-shirt stashed away at a rented house in Kharar, where the accused had kept the stolen jewellery.
