AHMEDABAD: Gujarat's Surat, also known as the diamond hub of India, witnessed one of the biggest heists in recent years as burglars broke into Diamond Company in Kapodra during the festive holidays and stole diamonds worth over Rs 25 crore, cash, and CCTV-DVRs.
Taking advantage of a three-day holiday shutdown, the gang struck the factory located on the fourth floor of a building in Kapoorwadi. Before forcing their way in, they had disabled the fire alarm outside the factory so that no siren would ring while they used their gas cutter. With only one entry point available, they smashed the wooden door and slipped inside.
What ensured the heist's success was the absence of CCTV cameras on that floor.
Once inside, the gang showed no hesitation. They removed the office glass panel to reach the main chamber and cut open a three-layered safe, leaving behind a 12x10 inch hole as proof of their precision.The burglars also dismantled one outside camera and two inside cameras, ensuring no trace of their movement remained. By carrying away the DVRs, they eliminated digital evidence also.
The alarm bells rang only when the owner returned after the holidays. Police rushed in with teams from the DCP, ACP, city crime branch, and forensic experts.
Investigators collected traces, including a lighter, while probing the scene. Early estimates suggest it took the thieves nearly two hours to slice through the fortified locker, indicating they were not amateurs but a gang armed with modern tools.
DCP Alok Kumar confirmed that the factory had been shut since the 15th, with no guard present. “The accused broke CCTV cameras, took away the DVR, and used a gas cutter. This is not ordinary theft but a conspiracy executed with expertise,” he said. The possibility of an international diamond smuggling gang being involved is not being ruled out.
Police teams have already fanned out across cities, while local CCTV footage is under scrutiny.
The theft has triggered unease in Surat’s diamond belt. With 50 shops and several cutting units on the road leading to the factory, police suspect the burglars had inside knowledge of its location and security gaps.
Factory owner Devendra Chaudhary revealed the stolen consignment had arrived just a week earlier. “The company had goods worth Rs 25-30 crore. It was a holiday, and today morning I was alerted by the floor tenant. When I came, the safe had been cut and everything was gone,” he said.
Investigators believe at least two to three men executed the burglary. Police are now checking call data records, examining road footage, and questioning possible suspects. Forensic samples and broken tiles from the scene suggest a getaway vehicle was used.
As the probe deepens, the heist has cast a long shadow over the security of Surat’s diamond industry, already vulnerable due to poor surveillance in several units.