12 arrested for 15 jewellery shop burglaries

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police has busted a burglary racket with the arrest of 12 gang members and seized 500 grams of gold and 11 kg of silver ornaments, an officer said. The arrested persons -- eight from Khordha, three from Ganjam and one from Puri district -- were apprehended on Tuesday and forwarded to court, police said.

The arrests were made during an investigation into a jewellery shop burglary in Banapur police station area of Khordha district. The accused were allegedly involved in a series of 15 burglaries targeting gold and silver ornaments over the past two years in the Banapur, Balugaon, Tangi and Nachuni police station areas, an officer said.

In his complaint, Niranjan Patra alleged that unidentified miscreants broke through the 10-inch-thick rear wall of his jewellery shop in Banapur on the night of October 27 and decamped with Rs 5 lakh in cash, around 400 grams of gold ornaments and 13 kg of silver articles. Similar burglaries were also reported in the Tangi, Nachuni, Banapur and Balugaon areas of Khordha district and Chandapur area of Nayagarh district.

Taking serious note of the incidents, a special team of Khordha Police analysed the modus operandi, developed intelligence and conducted raids at several locations across districts, SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas said. “Eleven persons and one receiver of stolen property were apprehended. Around 500 grams of gold ornaments and 11 kg of silver ornaments were recovered from their possession,” he said.

The arrested persons were allegedly involved in 15 cases, including 13 registered in Khordha district and two in Nayagarh district, the SP said. Further investigation is underway to identify and arrest other persons involved in the burglaries, he added.

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