In the glittering world of Surat’s diamond trade, precision and security are paramount. But even the most fortified vaults can fall prey to audacity and planning. The sparkle of Surat’s diamond industry dimmed this week as one of its prominent firms fell victim to a meticulously executed heist.
According to reports, unidentified thieves have stolen diamonds worth over Rs 25 crore from a Surat-based firm, DK Sons, after breaking open a metal safe and escaping with the valuables, according to police. The incident occurred between August 15 and 17 at the company’s premises in the Kapodara area of Surat.
In a complaint lodged at Kapodara police station, firm owner Devendra Chaudhary stated that he had left the four-storey building on the afternoon of August 15, after securing both polished and rough diamonds in a metal safe located on the fourth floor. The company had declared a three-day holiday on account of Independence Day and Janmashtami, and during this period, neither employees nor security guards were present at the site.
Upon returning on Monday morning, Chaudhary discovered that the main gate’s lock was broken and the diamonds were missing. He immediately alerted the police. Senior officers, forensic experts, and a dog squad promptly arrived at the scene to begin the investigation.
Surat Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Alok Kumar confirmed the Crime Branch had joined the probe and revealed key developments. “We have found a couple of cigarette butts, empty pouches of gutkha and tobacco. A security guard who worked at D K Sons was fired by the firm owner, Chaudhary, a month ago, after the latter used to bring his friends to the factory and chat with them. The former security guard is one of our prime suspects, and his mobile phone was found to be active in Jharkhand. We are also questioning other staff in the diamond factory,” Kumar was quoted as saying.
He further added, “The safe box was quite warm, so we suspect that the theft might have taken place last night (Sunday). The Crime Branch is also involved in the probe and we are in contact with police officials of other states. The miscreants used a gas cutter to break the three layers of the metal safe and stole polished and rough diamonds.”
The culprits also vandalised CCTV cameras installed in the building and took away the video recorder to erase any trace of their identity. However, police managed to retrieve footage from nearby locations. “Checking CCTV cameras of the nearby area, police found three to four youths alighting from an auto-rickshaw carrying a gas cutter,” an official who needn’t want to be named said.
Industry sources revealed that Chaudhary is engaged in both diamond manufacturing and auctioning. He was set to conduct diamond auctions over the following four days and had therefore stocked the diamonds securely in the safe.
In his statement to police, Chaudhary reportedly mentioned that the firm had an annual turnover of approximately Rs 300 crore. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the company employed over 1,500 workers. Currently, only around 20 diamond polishers remain, as Chaudhary has scaled down production and shifted focus towards auctions.
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