Nagpur: An unidentified burglar covering his face with a scarf sneaked away with valuables worth more than Rs 20 lakh, including Rs 17 lakh cash, within five minutes from the residence of Nitnaware family at Akash Nagar in Manewada on Wednesday. Much of the cash and valuables were saved as these were inside the locked vault in an almirah, which the burglar failed to lay his hands upon.
A CCTV footage shows the burglar entering the premises at 3.02 pm and leaving by 3.07 pm. The house owner, Sandeep Nitnaware, had left the house for salon and other works at 2.30 pm and returned at 4 pm. He was stunned to see the valuables missing from the almirah but there were no signs of any rummage inside the rooms. Police are now suspecting an insider’s involvement in the case.
Nitnaware, a real estate agent, got the cash after a sale deed. He was supposed to purchase some property in the coming days for which the surplus cash had been kept. Police said the burglar may have prior information about the substantial cash and valuables. “Had the burglar knew about the cash and valuables available in substantial quantity, he could have brought a bag but he sneaked away with the valuables tucked away in his pockets as shown in the CCTV footage,” said a cop.
The CCTV footage was procured from the first floor of the apartment where Nitnaware owned a gymnasium. Police are now checking the movements of patrons at the gymnasium. Sources said a car washer had come to his residence where Sandeep was staying alone since November 11 when his wife and the rest of the family left for Hingna. Police said the burglar broke the front door lock but did not have to toil to open the almirah whose keys were kept inside the room.
An offense has been registered at Hudkeshwar police station. Zonal DCP Akshay Shinde said police are trying to nab the accused and put a stop to incidents of burglaries.
