Bantwal: Serial thefts in jewellery stores; items worth 42 lakhs stolen

August 23, 2013

Bantwal, Aug 23: A gang of thieves broke into two jewellery stores in Siddhakatte on Bantwal-Moodbidri state highway in the wee hours of Thursday, and made away with jewellery worth lakhs of rupees.

It was also revealed that a similar attempt by the gang to break into a wine shop located nearby went unsuccessful.

The thieves broke into Swarnaprabha Jewellers in Vishwa Jyothi complex and Dhanalakshmi Jewellers located below Vijaya Bank and looted them, possibly at about 3 a.m. in the morning.

Safe locker broken at jewellery store

The gang entered Swarnaprabha Jewellers in Vishwa Jyothi complex by breaking the lock on the shutter of the store, and also broke open a safe containing gold and silver ornaments with a machine cutter.

Next, they proceeded onto Dhanalakshmi Jewellers on the opposite side of the road and broke the lock on the shutter of that store as well. At this instant, the watchman guarding the ATM booth above the jewellery store arrived at the spot to determine the source of the noise.

It is said that one of the thieves threatened him with a knife while the rest went inside the store and looted the same in the same manner as before. After clearing the safe of gold and silver ornaments, the entire gang fled from the scene.

Meanwhile, the guard Prabhakar informed the owner of a bakery located nearby, who in turn informed the police of the twin thefts. The owners of both the jewellery stores were also informed.

Sub-inspectors of Bantwal rural and Punjalkatte police stations Nagesh and Jayananda as well as Bantwal Circle Inspector Anil S Kulkarni arrived at the scene along with their team and conducted investigation. Fingerprint experts and dog squad were also called at the scene of investigation.

District Superintendent of Police Abhishek Goyal also visited the scene and directed the course of investigation.

Stolen ornaments

About 15 kilograms of silver and 130 grams of gold ornaments worth Rs 10 lakhs are presumed to be stolen from the Swarnaprabha Jewellers. About 35 kilograms of silver and 370 grams of gold ornaments worth Rs 32.22 lakhs are suspected to be taken from Dhanalakshmi Jewellers.

Three special teams have been created to investigate both the thefts, informed Bantwal Circle Inspector Anil Kulkarni.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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