Tanishq showroom in Madurai burgled, jewellery worth Rs 25 crore stolen

A Tanishq showroom in Madurai’s Kalavasal was robbed early Thursday (November 12). Gold and diamond jewellery was stolen, but the total loss is not yet known, though some reports peg the amount at Rs 25 crore. The showroom was opened just 10 days ago.

The daring robbery came to light on Thursday morning when employees arrived at the showroom, located along the Madurai bypass, and found its rear entrance broken open. The employees had locked the store and left for the day on Wednesday night. They subsequently alerted the SS Colony police.

Madurai Police Commissioner S Rajendiran told The Federal that CCTV footage from inside the showroom showed a suspect entering the premises through an unused lift passage from the upper floor. While initial findings suggest that a single person may have carried out the robbery, police are examining footage from cameras in the surrounding areas to establish whether others were involved.

According to other local reports, the burglar(s) were initially suspected of breaking into the showroom by climbing an iron scaffolding erected for ongoing construction work at the rear of the building. They allegedly entered through an elevator shaft that was not yet operational.

The report said around 48 kg of jewellery had been placed on display, of which nearly 30 per cent was suspected to have been stolen. It estimated the value of the missing jewellery at over Rs 25 crore. However, reports have cited varying estimates of the quantity stolen.

Rajendiran told The Federal that the exact quantity and value of the stolen jewellery were yet to be established, as the showroom management was still conducting a stock-taking exercise.

The showroom, which was reportedly only about 70 per cent complete, had opened around 10 days before the robbery.

Police have formed special teams to trace those involved and are examining CCTV footage from roads surrounding the premises.

(This is a developing story.)