Exploiting the deserted streets and widespread power outages caused by the recent cyclone, miscreants pulled off a major heist in the capital city, looting high-end smartphones worth nearly Rs 20 lakh from a mobile showroom in the Khandagiri area.
The incident took place at the ‘Phone Wala’ mobile showroom. Demonstrating meticulous planning, the culprits not only stole valuable devices but also dismantled and carried away the computer hard drives, CCTV cameras, and the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) to eliminate all digital evidence before fleeing the scene.
According to reports, showroom owner Jiban Jyoti Behera had locked up his shop late Tuesday night and returned home. The burglary came to light on Wednesday morning when Behera arrived to reopen the store and was greeted by a ransacked interior. Shocked to find the entire display of new smartphones missing, an immediate inventory check revealed that around 40 premium, high-value mobile phones had been stolen.
Following the discovery, Behera lodged a formal written complaint at the Bharatpur Police Station. A police team swiftly arrived at the crime scene and launched a detailed forensic and technical investigation. Officers are currently reviewing feed from surrounding CCTV cameras across the area to trace the movement of the culprits.
Police sources suspect that the perpetrators deliberately targeted the showroom, anticipating minimal public movement and low visibility due to the cyclone-induced blackout.
“The burglars took full advantage of the pitch-black streets and lack of power. What makes this case particularly critical is their deliberate destruction of evidence by taking the DVR and hard drives,” a investigating official noted.
The brazen heist in a prominent locality has sparked serious security concerns and distress among local business owners in the capital. Apprehending the gang and recovering the stolen smartphones now stands as a major challenge for the Bhubaneswar police. Further updates will follow as the investigation unfolds.
