Rs 39-lakh gold stolen from bank locker, replaced with fake jewellery; staff arrested

Police say a bank employee in Jamnagar stole gold jewellery from lockers and replaced it with fakes. Investigators are now examining whether similar thefts and other handlers were involved.

In Short

• 342.1 grams of gold worth Rs 39.48 lakh stolen from Jamnagar bank lockers
• Bank employee used manager's safe key to swap gold with fakes
• Police probe if theft is part of larger pattern or involves other accomplices

In a sensational theft case, around 342.1 grams of genuine gold jewellery worth approximately Rs 39.48 lakh was stolen from lockers at an Indian Bank branch in Gujarat’s Jamnagar and replaced with fake jewellery.

According to the police, the theft took place on August 27, when the accused, identified as bank employee Hasmukhbhai Dineshbhai Pariya, gained access to the keys of the safe kept inside the branch manager's chamber.

He then used the key to open the safe and remove the gold jewellery and replaced them with duplicate ornaments, leaving the fake items inside the locker so that the missing gold would not be immediately detected.

Police said the stolen jewellery was subsequently handed over to Vijaybhai Alabhai Vagora, who took it for sale.

The breakthrough came when police received information that Vagora was on his way to sell the stolen gold.

Acting on the tip-off, police laid a trap and arrested him.

During interrogation, police uncovered the link between Vagora and Hasmukhbhai, leading to the arrest of both accused.

Police are now investigating whether this was an isolated incident or part of a larger pattern of similar gold thefts from bank lockers.

A probe is also underway to determine whether the accused had carried out similar thefts in the past and if other people, including bullion traders or middlemen, were involved in disposing of the stolen jewellery.

- Ends