BHUBANESWAR: If a customer leaves a shop without paying or attempts to run away with an item, think twice before chasing him as an accomplice might trespass into the establishment and steal the money from cash box.
At least two such incidents have been reported from two medicine stores in different areas of the City this week. In the first incident, a thief in the guise of a customer visited a drug store near Rabi Talkies square on Thursday and gave a Rs 2,000 note for some medicines he purchased. When the shopkeeper said he did not have the change, the customer left.
A few minutes later, another person visited the store, purchased medicines worth Rs 200 but left after paying Rs 170.
The shopkeeper ran after him for the remaining amount. In the meantime, the first customer who had given a Rs 2,000 note, entered the store, stole Rs 35,000 and fled.
A similar incident took place in IRC Village on Friday when two miscreants stole Rs 49,000 from a medicine store by adopting the same modus operandi. Police said they are examining the CCTV footage of both the shops to identify and nab the miscreants involved in the crime.
“Initial investigation suggests same youths committed thefts in both the shops. Two separate cases have been registered and efforts are on to nab them,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash.