In a bizarre plot driven by greed for insurance money, Bhubaneswar police have uncovered a staged robbery involving two plywood shop owners and a hired gang of 11 fake robbers.
The elaborate scheme aimed to fraudulently claim Rs 18 lakh from an insurance company. Authorities arrested all 13 individuals and seized multiple vehicles, weapons, and robbery props, exposing what was meant to be a convincing heist as nothing more than a scripted drama.
Addressing a press conference, Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said that the two shop owners from the Tamando area were the masterminds behind the operation. They had insured their plywood stores and orchestrated the fake loot to deceive the insurance provider. “This was a well-planned fraud where the owners hired 11 individuals to pose as robbers, complete with breaking into the shops, issuing fake threats, and staging dramatic scenes to create the illusion of a real crime,” Meena explained.
The police investigation revealed that the accused had drawn inspiration from YouTube videos on insurance scams. In a twist, the owners even stole items from one shop and stored them in the other’s to bolster their claims. The hired “robbers,” some with interstate connections and prior links to labourers, were promised an advance of Rs 1,000 each, with the remaining Rs 5,000 to be paid later. Eleven of them were apprehended in Balasore and brought to Bhubaneswar for questioning.
The breakthrough came late Wednesday night when police spotted suspicious activity at a roadside dhaba. A group was seen huddled over a “blueprint” for the heist. As they attempted to flee, officers intercepted them, leading to the arrests. Items recovered included three pickup vans, a Bolero vehicle, a Bullet motorcycle, iron rods, cutters, screwdrivers, knives, eight masks, face guards, gloves, mobiles, and handkerchiefs— all props intended for the fake robbery.
DCP Meena emphasised that the police have gathered substantial evidence and notified the insurance company to prevent any payout. “All accused will be produced in court, and we are probing any further interstate links,” he added. This incident highlights the growing trend of insurance fraud, where perpetrators go to extreme lengths to exploit policies.
The Tamando police station, which led the operation, described the group as an “interstate robber gang” caught red-handed. Authorities are now urging business owners to report genuine incidents promptly and warning against such deceptive practices that undermine public trust in law enforcement.
