CHANDIGARH, June 23 — Thieves broke into the residence of a former naval officer in the posh Sector 8-B locality and fled with ₹40,000 in cash and jewellery worth several lakhs while the family was away in Shimla, police said on Sunday.
According to the complaint filed by the homeowner, the theft likely occurred sometime between the evening of June 16 and the morning of June 18, when the house was unoccupied. The officer, identified as Singh, stated that the upstairs bedroom window latch had been broken and screws were found scattered on the floor. “My wife’s jewellery and around ₹40,000 cash were stolen,” he reported in his statement to the police.
Singh lives in a two-storey home along with his wife, children, and parents. While his wife and children had been staying at her parents’ home in Sector 7 for the past two weeks, his parents left for Shimla on June 15. Singh himself joined them the next morning. At the time of the break-in, only two adult children of a domestic helper and another worker residing in the servant quarters were present on the property.
The burglary went unnoticed until June 18, when one of the domestic workers noticed the bedroom windows open. Singh’s wife had briefly visited the house on the evening of June 16 and reported that everything appeared in order at that time.
A detailed inventory of stolen items has been handed over to the police, which includes diamond, gold, and pearl jewellery — among them emerald tops, solitaire rings, bangles, and necklaces. The complainant said ₹30,000 in cash was missing from a dresser drawer and another ₹10,000 from a cupboard.
Police have registered a case under Sections 380 (theft in dwelling house) and 454 (house trespass) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 3 police station. Investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area and questioning residents and workers in and around the locality.
“We are exploring all angles, including questioning the domestic staff who remained on the premises,” a senior police officer involved in the investigation said.
