AHMEDABAD: Tomato prices are soaring across the country. In Gujarat, the minimum price quoted for 20 kg in APMC Rajkot is Rs 1,600 and the maximum is Rs 2,200.
In the retail market, the vegetable is selling at Rs 175 per kg. As rates are ruling sky-high, thieves have sensed an opportunity here. Several cases of stealing tomatoes have come to light and CCTV cameras have caught a few robbers in their act.
In Surat, a merchant on Sunday morning discovered there bags of tomatoes and some other items are missing in his shop. He had packed all the items the night before. On detailed inquiry, he realised that vegetable bags have been stolen. Tomatoes weighing more than 150 kg were stolen.
The CCTV recording of the market showed the entire episode of theft at Kapodrani’s vegetable market. A young man was seen walking with tomatoes in the footage. The police arrested the thief, named Ghanshyam the next day.
Ghanshyam is originally from Bhavnagar district and had come to Surat city for work five months ago. As he found no job, he resorted to theft. Sensing an opportunity in the rising prices of vegetables, he lifted expensive vegetables from inside the vegetable market and sold them to a local person for Rs 40 per kg.
The Kapodra police has confiscated all the stolen vegetables and returned them to the original owner. Further probe is on.