Khar-based shop’s owner had deactivated the CCTV camera system at night over fear of a short circuit amid the rain; so far, a few people have been seen walking towards the shop in CCTV footage from a nearby lane
The hole made by thieves in Beauty and More’s roof
Unidentified burglars broke into a Khar-based cosmetics shop in the wee hours of August 16 and made away with Rs 28 lakh in cash. The shop, located on SV Road, is around 100 metres away from one of the chowkies of Khar police, said its owner, Mateen Kapadia.
Kapadia registered an FIR at Khar police station after learning about the theft from his manager, Abdul.
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“The thieves climbed on top of the shop with the help of an air conditioning set up in the adjacent building and broke the roof open. It seems that someone with information about the shop passed on the tip regarding the huge amount of cash,” Kapadia said. The thieves exited the shop the same way they had come in.
The drawer with the cash that was broken open by the thieves
“There was a sale on Saturday and Sunday. We all went home after shutting the shop on Sunday at 9 pm, leaving the cash inside. The thieves only broke open the drawer where the cash was kept. All products and valuables such as iPads and other gadgets are untouched,” Kapadia added.
CCTVs were shut
The CCTV cameras inside the shop had been shut down fearing a short circuit during the monsoon. “The cops are saying that the CCTV footage would have helped in cracking the case but we had kept them switched off at night. But in the wee hours, a few suspects have been captured in CCTV cameras installed in a nearby lane and these men are seen heading towards my shop,” he added.
Beauty and More at SV Road in Khar
A forensic team visited the shop to collect evidence. “But it seems the thieves used gloves as no fingerprints were recovered,” Kapadia added.
Nearly four dozen employees, including two managers, two accountants and two cashiers, work at the shop, Beauty and More, and the Khar police are in the process of recording everyone’s statements.
An officer with Khar police said, “An FIR has been registered under Sections 380 (theft in a dwelling house), 454 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking) and 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night) of Indian Penal Code.” No arrests have been made so far.
Aug 16
Day the burglary happened
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