COIMBATORE: An unidentified man broke into a popular jewellery store in Coimbatore and stole around 200 sovereigns of gold and diamond jewellery.
The miscreant had drilled a hole into the popular Jos Alukkas showroom in Gandhipuram and escaped with jewels worth crores on Monday night.
According to police officials, the suspect drilled a hole into the shop's AC ventilator on the left side wall to enter the store. Efforts are on to ascertain the exact value of the gold ornaments that have gone missing, the police said.
The jewellery showroom is situated on 100 Feet Road in the Gandhipuram area in the city. The building which has four floors has multiple sections for different kinds of jewellery sales. Jewels were stolen from the first and second floors of the building.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Coimbatore City North) G Chandeesh said that the burglar who was spotted on the CCTV footage available inside the Jos Alukkas jewellery showroom curiously collected the jewels like a customer.
"The burglar gained entry into the building through the AC duct and entered into the showroom through the gap of the fall ceiling. Though there were a lot of jewels inside the showroom, the burglar took his time to choose the jewels like how a customer would," Chandeesh said. Police said that he will be arrested soon.
City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan also confirmed that the modus operandi of the suspect seemed different.
The incident happened between 12.30 am and 1.30 am. Around 200 sovereigns of jewels are believed to have been stolen from the showroom, says City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan.
After inspecting the crime scene, Balakrishnan said that the burglar recorded on the CCTV camera was not wearing any mask. However, he attempted to hide the CCTV camera using a shirt.
Police said five special teams are working to nab him. "There were 12 persons including the security and staff staying inside the shop on Monday night. But the suspect committed the theft without their knowledge and exited in the same way," said Balakrishnan.
Commissioner Balakrishnan added that they have collected footprints of the suspect and some evidence to establish his identity.