SALEM: A four-member masked gang allegedly assaulted and tied up a security guard before stealing around 600 kg of silver articles worth up to Rs 15 crore from a warehouse at Chinneri Vayalkadu in Salem around 1 am on Monday. Police have formed special teams to trace the gang and recover the stolen valuables.
The warehouse, located in Cinema Nagar, belongs to Balasubramaniam (60), a wholesale silver trader and manufacturer. He procures silver to manufacture ornaments and uses the building, situated close to his house, to store the articles. Balasubramaniam was at home when the robbery took place.
According to police, the four masked men entered the premises in the early hours of Monday and attacked security guard Venkatesan (60), a resident of Pallapatti. They allegedly tied him up before breaking open the doors of the storage building and stealing the silver articles. No other doors on the premises were broken open. The gang also tampered with the CCTV surveillance system before fleeing, the police added.
After the gang fled, Venkatesan managed to untie himself and call Balasubramaniam to alert him about the robbery. According to sources, Balasubramaniam reached the warehouse around 5 am and informed the Pallapatti police. Venkatesan suffered minor injuries and was treated at Salem Government Hospital.
Police personnel arrived at the spot and launched an investigation. Forensic experts collected fingerprints from the scene, while Salem City Police Commissioner A G Babu inspected the premises and reviewed the circumstances of the robbery.
Police are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to identify the suspects and trace their movements. The police have estimated the value of the stolen silver articles at up to Rs 15 crore. A case has been registered and special teams have been formed to investigate the case and recover the valuables.