Police probing bank break-in in Sawar; 1 kg gold stolen from lockers

Ajmer: Burglars broke into a Bank of Baroda branch located just 100 meters from the local police station in Sawar town in Ajmer district, successfully fleeing with over 1 kg of gold jewellery from two lockers. The burglary event came to light Monday morning after the bank reopened following the weekend holidays.According to additional superintendent of police Rajesh Meel, the burglars made their way onto the bank's roof, used machinery to cut through iron bars, and gained entry into the locker room. "Two lockers were compromised, one containing over 800 grams of gold jewellery and the other around 280 grams along with 650 grams of silver," Meel said.
Interestingly, despite the significant quantity of stolen gold, the burglars left behind the cash and did not attempt to access any other locker, raising questions about their motives. "There were no attempts made to break into other lockers," a police official said, highlighting the targeted nature of the crime. The owners of the stolen lockers have been identified. Police said the bank informed them that one locker belonged to the son of a former personal assistant of senior Congressman Raghu Sharma, while the other was in the name of Lokesh Pareek. Officials added that locker holders have claimed jewellery was stolen, but the bank did not provide an authenticated inventory of the contents. Initial investigations by the Sawar police indicate that the heist was meticulously planned. Forensic teams were called to the scene to gather evidence, while police recovered tools that were likely used in the burglary. Investigators believe that extensive preparations enabled the suspects to take advantage of the bank's weekend closure. Footprints and fingerprints collected at the scene could provide crucial leads, with forensic teams analysing the physical evidence left behind. Investigators are scrutinising the possibility that the burglary may have taken two nights to execute, as the concrete roof is notably thick. Police are also probing why the cutting equipment was left behind. Tools recovered from the crime scene have been sent to the forensic science laboratory for fingerprint analysis. The FSL team also lifted footprints from dust on the bank floor, indicating the presence of more than two people, police officials said. Ajmer superintendent of police Vandita Rana said the investigation is ongoing and that CCTV footage has provided some leads. Sawar Circle Officer Harshit Sharma said, "We are exploring why only two lockers were targeted and why the cash remained untouched. The evidence suggests that the burglars had knowledge of the bank's layout, particularly where the intended lockers were located." Despite a thorough investigation over the past two days, police have yet to determine the exact timing of the break-in. Bank management lodged a complaint, leading officials to register a case at the Sawar police station.