Came through roof, stayed 8 hours: How masked man stole Rs 14-crore gold in Mathura

On Sunday evening, a masked intruder scaled the roof of a jewelry store in Mathura and made his way inside through the rooftop. After spending nearly eight hours inside the shop, the thief managed to escape at 5:30 AM, taking with him over 10 kg of gold valued at Rs 14 crore, nearly Rs 14 lakh in cash, and a digital video recorder from the store. Local police are now trying to identify the masked man behind the theft.

Footage from external CCTV cameras helped police track the suspect's movements after the break-in. According to the police, the thief entered the shop by scaling the boundary wall of a neighboring house and crossing interconnected rooftops. Once inside, he went directly to the room containing the strongroom keys, used them to open the safe, and stole the gold ornaments, jewelry, and gold biscuits.

The suspect then retraced his steps, exiting the shop through the main gate, crossing to the neighboring rooftop, descending to a neighboring house, and finally leaving through the main gate. Police have relied on CCTV cameras installed at nearby shops and houses to piece together the thief's movements. Footage shows the suspect carrying two bags and hiring an e-rickshaw in the early hours.

The e-rickshaw took the thief to several locations, with police following his movements through CCTV footage along the route. The thief was seen going to the railway station before doubling back, and he was later dropped off in a congested part of the city, where his trail went cold.

The theft came to light after the store owner discovered the stolen gold and cash on Monday morning and informed the police. A team of officers rushed to the scene, and the absence of a broken lock, along with the suspect's apparent familiarity with the shop, led investigators to suspect the involvement of an insider. Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said, "We have almost made a breakthrough and are confident of ensuring recovery and arrest."