Editor’s Note
This brief report details the successful recovery of stolen jewelry and the arrest of a suspect by Cant Police in Varanasi.
Varanasi (Janvarta). Cant Police have successfully apprehended a woman thief who had stolen gold and silver ornaments from a jewelry shop in the Pandeypur area and fled. The police have also recovered the entire stolen property from the accused.
According to police sources, the accused, Sheela Devi, 42, wife of Sonu Vishwakarma, is a resident of Sikia, Narayanpur police station, Mirzapur district. The incident occurred on January 27 when Sheela Devi arrived at A.K. Jewelers located in Lalpur-Pandeypur and, under the pretext of buying jewelry, asked the shopkeeper to show her items. When the shopkeeper got busy with another customer, the woman seized the opportunity, deceitfully stole some ornaments, and quickly fled the scene.
The entire incident was captured on the shop’s CCTV camera. With the help of the footage, the police identified the woman and began searching for her. After continuous efforts, a team led by Station House Officer Shivakant Mishra arrested her from the Cant police station area on Thursday evening.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. The stolen ornaments recovered from her possession include one pair of gold tops, one nose ring (nathiya), two pairs of earrings, one pair of yellow metal ear studs, two rings with a total weight of 16.455 grams of yellow metal, and one silver bangle weighing 55.380 grams.
Sub-Inspectors Aarti Gond, Balwant Kumar, and Constable Atul Kumar Pandey were involved in the arrest and recovery operation. The police have registered a case against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and initiated necessary legal proceedings.
The police stated that due to the continuous rise in gold and silver prices, such petty thefts are increasing, but with CCTV and prompt investigation, it is becoming easier to catch criminals. The Varanasi Jewelers Association has also recently implemented strict rules, such as not allowing customers with covered faces to enter shops or show them goods, in order to curb such incidents.
