₹1.66 Crore Gold Heist by a Salesgirl Rocks Ahmedabad Showroom

Ahmedabad | Gujarat — In a shocking incident that has sent tremors across Ahmedabad’s jewellery trade, a salesgirl allegedly vanished with gold jewellery worth a staggering ₹1.66 crore from a showroom in the Nikol area. The theft, executed in broad daylight and captured on CCTV, has triggered a citywide search by police and raised serious concerns about insider crime in high-value retail businesses.

The incident comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal urging citizens to avoid gold purchases for a year to reduce imports — a backdrop that has made the case even more striking for the industry.

Theft Unfolded Within Minutes

According to police, the theft occurred on May 11 at a jewellery showroom in Gravity Shopping Mall near Anmol Circle. Owner Darshanbhai Shah had briefly stepped out in the afternoon, leaving staff and the showroom manager in charge.

CCTV footage allegedly shows the accused employee, identified as Harshida Shetty, quietly removing a gold coin from a cupboard and slipping it into the pocket of her blazer between 4 pm and 4:30 pm. She then moved to the store room on the second floor and later exited the showroom carrying her bag.

A police official said, “The footage suggests a carefully planned act carried out in a very short span of time without alerting colleagues.”

Suspicion Raised After Stock Check

The theft came to light when staff noticed a shortage of gold items in a display tray while attending to a customer later in the evening. When questioned, colleagues said the salesgirl had claimed to leave early due to an emergency — despite no leave being approved.

CCTV footage showed her checking cameras before leaving, further strengthening suspicion.

Jewellery Worth ₹1.66 Crore Missing

A full stock verification revealed that multiple items — including chains, bangles, watches, mangalsutras, pendants, earrings, lucky charms and coins — were missing. The total value of stolen jewellery was estimated at ₹1.66 crore.

Attempts to contact the accused failed as her phone was found switched off.

Police Launch Manhunt

Nikol Police have registered a case and launched a search operation to trace the accused. Investigators are examining CCTV footage, call records, and possible escape routes.

A senior officer said, “We are pursuing multiple leads. Given the scale of the theft, all angles — including pre-planning and possible accomplices — are under investigation.”