Udupi: In a major theft incident, burglars broke into a jewellery refining unit near Chittaranjan Circle, Udupi, on September 8 and escaped with valuables worth nearly Rs 96 lakh.

The incident occurred at ‘Vaibhav Refiner’, a gold and silver refining workshop. According to police, the miscreants allegedly gained entry by using fake keys and later opened a drawer with duplicate locks. They then made away with a substantial quantity of gold, silver, and cash.

Valuables stolen

The burglars stole:

  • 680 grams of gold bars valued at Rs 65,96,000

  • 200 grams of refined gold worth about Rs 22,00,000

  • 5 kilograms of refined silver in small bars valued at Rs 6,25,000

  • Cash amounting to Rs 1,50,000

    • The total loss has been estimated at Rs 95,71,000.

    Police investigation

    Authorities suspect the involvement of former employees of the workshop in the theft. Senior officials, including Udupi DySP Prabhu D T and Udupi Town Police Inspector Manjunath, visited the scene and conducted an inspection.

    The police have registered a case and are carrying out further investigations to identify and apprehend the culprits.

    Conclusion

    The theft has sent shockwaves across the business community in Udupi, with traders urging authorities to step up night surveillance and security measures in commercial zones. Police have assured that they are pursuing multiple leads to bring the culprits to justice.