In a bizarre theft during the renovation of the Oberoi Grand, a prestigious five-star hotel in Kolkata’s Esplanade, luxury bathroom fittings worth ₹35 lakh have reportedly gone missing.
The theft came to light when Tushar Nandi, the hotel’s shift engineer, filed an FIR stating that 228 high-end showerheads and 8 ornate ceiling fans had disappeared from a housekeeping pantry on the fourth floor. The items had been dismantled and stored in large garbage bags as part of ongoing restoration work.
Preliminary investigation suggests the stolen items might have been inadvertently or intentionally removed along with construction debris during dismantling. “The pantry was located opposite Room 423, and lacked proper lighting and CCTV coverage,” said a New Market police officer, highlighting serious security lapses.
Despite 20 private security guards on duty, the theft went unnoticed. Police suspect that heavy footfall, ongoing construction noise, and poor surveillance made the theft easier to execute.
The hotel, which began its 18-month renovation in August 2024, had announced a massive upscale overhaul, including the addition of 200 renovated rooms in two phases. The banquet halls remain functional, but guest floors are under refurbishment.
An internal probe is underway, with the engineering, purchase, and security teams jointly auditing all recent worker movements and material handling logs.
This incident has raised serious questions about asset management and security protocols during high-end property refurbishments.