Robbers dig tunnel, flee with silver worth Rs 3 lakh

A gang of ingenious thieves dug a 7-foot-long tunnel through a sewage line to enter a jewellery shop at Marol Maroshi in Andheri (East) and steal Rs 3.5 lakh worth of silver jewellery.

A gang of ingenious thieves dug a 7-foot-long tunnel through a sewage line to enter a jewellery shop at Marol Maroshi in Andheri (East) and steal Rs 3.5 lakh worth of silver jewellery.

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According to the MIDC police, the incident may have taken place anytime between 9.30 pm on Friday, when the Kallika Jewellery store was shut for the day, to early morning when the owner found, to his horror, a large hole in the floor of the shop and silver jewellery missing.

He also found some implements used by the unknown thieves to dig the tunnel that led to his shop. The owner then checked the safe inside the store, which to his relief, was still locked. He then found that silver ornaments worth Rs 3.5 lakh were missing from the showcase display.

The shop is located at some distance from the Marol police camp on Marol Maroshi Road, Andheri (East).

Initial investigation by the police revealed that the accused had dug a small hole through a nearby gutter, making a pathway till it reached the floor of the shop.

Acting senior police inspector of MIDC police station, Deepak Bagwe, said, "We suspect the hand of a local resident. The gutter is close to the shop and someone who must have noticed that would then have planned to dig the tunnel. There is no CCTV camera installed in the shop. Investigations continue."