8 hours, 10kg of gold: How masked thief pulled off audacious jewellery shop heist

A masked thief allegedly broke into a jewellery shop through its roof, spent around eight hours inside and escaped with more than 10 kilograms of gold in an unusually brazen overnight burglary in northern India.

The intruder entered the shop in Kosi Kalan, Mathura district, at around 9.30 pm on Sunday and did not emerge until about 5.30 am the following morning, according to police and Indian media reports.

By then, jewellery worth an estimated Rs140 million and around Rs1.4 million in cash had allegedly disappeared.

The thief also took the shop’s CCTV digital video recorder, apparently removing one of the most obvious sources of evidence before leaving.

But he didn’t manage to erase every trace.

Investigators are examining footage from cameras outside the shop and surrounding area, which captured portions of the suspect’s movements.

According to police, the masked man, dressed in black, reached the premises through the roof.

He allegedly used a gas cutter to break through an iron grille before entering the jewellery store.

What happened after that has prompted investigators to examine whether the thief had prior knowledge of the premises.

Police believe he appeared to know where the strongroom keys were kept, allowing him to access the shop’s valuable stock.

The Indian Express reported that investigators suspect possible involvement by someone familiar with the business, with a former employee among those being examined as part of the inquiry.

No finding of involvement has been announced.

The burglary was discovered the next morning when the shop was opened.

The owner found the safe emptied and alerted police.

Initial estimates put the stolen jewellery at more than 10kg of gold, worth approximately Rs140 million. Reports differ slightly on the amount of cash missing, placing it at around Rs1.4 to Rs1.5 million.

Police subsequently launched a major investigation.

Four teams have reportedly been formed to trace the suspect, while officers are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby businesses and streets to reconstruct how he approached and left the shop.

The burglary also prompted anger among local traders, who reportedly shut the market in protest over security concerns.

One detail is likely to draw particular attention from investigators: how long the thief apparently felt able to remain inside.

Rather than grabbing whatever was immediately accessible and fleeing, the intruder allegedly spent the entire night virtually in the building.

He then left carrying the gold, cash — and the shop’s own CCTV recorder.