Five kg silver worth ₹12 lakh stolen in distraction theft near Ellisbridge

In a classic case of distraction theft, unidentified persons allegedly decamped with nearly five kilograms of silver worth ₹12.48 lakh from a two-wheeler after diverting the attention of an employee of a city-based jewellery firm near Ellisbridge on Wednesday evening, police said.

As per the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Ellisbridge Police Station, the theft took place on February 4 around 5.30 pm when Alpesh Madhavlal Patel (48) was transporting silver for his employer from C G Road to Manek Chowk.

Patel, who works as office staffer at Hallmark Jewellers on Science City Road, told police that he had been instructed by his employer to collect silver from J D Choksi Jewellers at C G Road and deliver it to another jeweller in Manek Chowk. As per the complaint, he collected 10 slabs of silver weighing 500 grams each totalling around five kilograms and valued at ₹12.48 lakh and placed them in a brown cloth bag.

While Patel was inside the mall, his Activa scooter was towed away by traffic police. He then took an autorickshaw to the Mithakhali towing station, retrieved his vehicle, placed the bag of silver in the scooter’s boot, and proceeded towards Manek Chowk.

As Patel was passing near Gujarat Dalwada shop on the road close to Ellisbridge, an unknown man on a motorcycle, wearing a helmet, stopped him and accused him of causing an accident. The man engaged Patel in a heated conversation and later intercepted him again, insisting that his motorcycle had been damaged.

“While I was being distracted and taken towards his motorcycle, two other unidentified men arrived on another bike, opened the boot of my Activa and stole the bag containing silver,” Patel stated in his complaint. By the time he realised what had happened and returned to his vehicle, the bag was missing and all three suspects had fled.

Patel immediately informed his employer and alerted the police control room by dialling 100. However, a formal complaint was lodged the following day after consultations with his employer.