Teen held for drilling through wall to steal silver jewellery worth ₹1.75 lakh in Ahmedabad

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested a 19-year-old youth for carrying out a meticulously planned burglary at a jewellery shop in Hatkeshwar by drilling through a wall, bypassing the shop’s shutter and modern locking system. The police have recovered the entire stolen property, valued at ₹1.75 lakh, without loss or damage.

According to a Crime Branch official, the theft occurred in the early hours of January 8 at a jewellery shop in Sagar Apartments, Hatkeshwar area. The accused, identified as Ashwin Khadiya (19), executed the crime with considerable ingenuity by breaking into the shop through the rear wall instead of tampering with the strong shutter. 

Police said Ashwin carefully created an opening in the wall, entered the shop undetected and decamped with silver ornaments worth ₹1.75 lakh before fleeing the scene within minutes.

Following the unusual nature of the burglary, the Crime Branch launched an intensive investigation. Rather than limiting the probe to physical evidence, officers analysed the modus operandi and the mindset of the perpetrator. Investigators deduced that the offender was unlikely to be a habitual criminal, but someone with practical knowledge of construction techniques and familiarity with the locality.

Based on this assessment, the Crime Branch focused its investigation on the Ramol Canal and Jamfalwadi areas, where several construction activities are under way. The team deployed a combination of digital surveillance and human intelligence, scrutinising footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras between Hatkeshwar and Ramol.

Instead of merely scanning footage mechanically, officers closely tracked suspicious movements, particularly individuals seen moving at odd hours while carrying heavy bags in poorly lit areas. With the assistance of informers and technical support, the Crime Branch succeeded in pinpointing the suspect’s movements.

The accused was eventually apprehended after a surveillance operation near Jamfalwadi crossroads, officials said.

The highlight of the operation, police noted, was the complete recovery of the stolen jewellery. “All the silver ornaments stolen during the burglary have been recovered in full, amounting to a 100 per cent recovery without any financial loss to the victim,” said Ajit Rajian, DCP Crime branch

Further legal action against the accused is under way.