A con gang successfully stole Rs 2 crore worth of gold from a Maharashtra jewellery store using a clever distraction, as seen on CCTV. In a contrasting incident in Gujarat, two thieves got trapped inside a shop and had to call the police for help after locals cornered them.

A mystery hand appeared for mere seconds from under the counter and whisked away a box at a jewellery store in Maharashtra, while other members of the con gang distracted the salespeople, CCTV footage showed on Thursday. The gang, which consisted of two males and four burqa-clad women, stole 1.5 kilogram of gold jewellery from Vishwas Jewellers in the Shahganj neighbourhood of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The loot was believed to be valued at least Rs 2 crore. In order to avoid arousing suspicions while conducting a reconnaissance of the property, the gang members entered the showroom at several occasions pretending to be clients, according to the authorities.

Although the robbers' deed was not discovered right away, CCTV video eventually provided some clues. Senior officials, including the deputy commissioner of police, were prompted to investigate the crime scene after this sent off an alarm across the local police department. In order to identify the suspects, plot their entry and leave routes, and locate any possible hiding places, law enforcement officials are examining the video.

Similar Incident in Gujarat

The same week, an attempted jewellery robbery in Gujarat, a bordering state, resulted in an entirely different situation. One of the two burglars was on the other end of the emergency call that Gujarat's Valsad district police got late on Wednesday regarding a burglary attempt.

"Sir, we came to commit a theft, but people have pulled down the shutter. Please, save us," said the man. A crowd had gathered outside, and the thieves feared they'd be thrashed, or worse, police said.

About 25 kilometres from the town of Vapi, in Sanjan village in the Umargam subdivision, the two guys had broken into a store called BJ Jewellers. Due to its proximity to Maharashtra, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman, and Gujarat, this region is frequently targeted since it makes it simpler for criminals to cross borders and evade state authorities. Dinesh Sonkar and Vipin Pathak's plan did not quite work out, though.

When some locals grew suspicious that they had picked the lock to enter the shop, they pulled down the shop's shutter, leaving the duo stranded inside. As the crowd outside grew, the thieves locked themselves in and eventually decided to dial 112 for the police helpline.