HYDERABAD: In what can only be described as an unexpected tribute to Cinderella’s lost slipper, two thieves sneaked into an apartment complex in Moosarambagh in the early hours of Thursday and walked away with at least 26 pairs of shoes and 26 pairs of chappals from six different flats.
The number could possibly be higher, given that some residents were reluctant to brave the road simmering under the summer sun to reach the police station to complain.
According to Malakpet Inspector P Naresh, the criminals executed their footwear heist with the efficiency of a well-rehearsed sales team—except instead of selling, they were stealing. Within an hour, they had packed up their loot into four bags, loaded them into an auto and made a clean getaway.
The auto driver, possibly oblivious to the crime, waited as the deft duo ferried sacks of stolen sandals into the vehicle like it was just another day in the logistics business.
The heist was caught on CCTV, and only when the footage went viral did the victims realise they had been literally left barefoot.
Thieves likely to resell stolen slippers
Until then, residents woke up confused, wondering if they had misplaced their own shoes or if their neighbours had suddenly developed a taste for late-night footwear swapping.
“I woke up, stepped outside, and for a moment, I thought my chappals had walked away on their own,” one baffled resident said.
Adding an extra layer of irony to the incident, two of the victims turned out to be police officers—an inspector and a sub-inspector. If the thieves had any sense of humour, they might have left a thank-you note: “Nothing personal, officers. Just business.”
A police source said that the stolen footwear will most likely be resold. However, it’s not yet clear if an underground “sandal syndicate” exists.
A case has been registered, and the police are hunting for the shoe stealers.
In the meantime, Moosarambagh residents are considering chaining their footwear to their doorknobs—because in this neighbourhood, even your chappals aren’t safe anymore.