Mysuru, Oct. 24 – In a brazen daylight theft, a man, pretending to buy a gold chain for a Jain monk, allegedly stole gold chains worth several lakhs of rupees from a jewellery store on Ashoka Road in the city.
The incident occurred at Deep Jewellers on Oct. 21, prompting the store owner, Ratan Lal, to lodge a complaint at Lashkar Police Station.
How the theft unfolded
Around 1 pm, a man aged about 55 years entered the store and spoke to Ratan Lal in Hindi, requesting to see silver coins. When shown a 20-gram silver coin, the man set it aside and asked to see a 2-gram gold coin, claiming it was for donation at a temple.
When told that no gold coins were immediately available, Ratan offered to fetch one and called an employee named Lalpu.
Meanwhile, the man asked to see gold chains, claiming one was meant for a Jain monk. He specifically requested chains that were kept in covers that were “untouched by women”. As the man was persistent in his demand, Ratan Lal obliged.
Ratan then took out a folding leather bag containing five to six gold chains of various designs. The man separated several chains from the bunch, placed them in individual plastic covers, and put the covers into a bag containing fruits for puja at the store.
The man then explained to Ratan that he had done this as a practice before handing over the gold chain to the monk. He instructed Ratan to leave the covers in the fruit bag, claiming his ‘boy’ would later select a chain and pay for it. Before leaving the store, the man paid Rs. 5,000 as an advance.
Discovery, CCTV evidence
Shortly afterwards, when Lalpu arrived with gold coins, Ratan Lal checked the fruit bag and discovered that the gold chains, weighing about 105 grams, were missing. The man who claimed to hand over the gold chain to the monk had duped Ratan Lal and vanished with the gold chains worth about Rs. 14 lakh. Ratan’s shop CCTV footage showed the suspect leaving the shop and speaking to another man, about 35 years old, who was sitting on a scooter at a distance. The thief then sat pillion on the scooter and the duo fled.
Irani gang involvement
Police believe the suspect deliberately targeted the store when Ratan Lal was alone, entering as a customer and speaking in Hindi to gain trust. His accomplice, waiting nearby on the scooter, likely facilitated the escape, raising suspicions of the gang’s involvement.
According to sources, the modus operandi resembles that of the notorious Irani Gang, known for distraction-based jewellery thefts. The scooter used in the getaway carried a fake registration number, officials said.
Lashkar Inspector Lolakshi and her team are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and checking similar cases in other Police jurisdictions to trace and arrest the accused.
This post was published on October 24, 2025 6:03 pm