Thieves broke into the Union Bank of India (UBI) branch in Kim, Surat, and stole cash and jewellery worth ₹40.36 lakh. The miscreants made a hole in the wall that connects the bank to a marble polishing unit next door. They entered the bank and looted six lockers. The theft was discovered on Tuesday morning when the bank manager, Alok Kumar, arrived and saw the damage. He immediately reported the incident to the police. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities suspect that someone familiar with the property might be involved.

How did the theft happen?

The Union Bank of India (UBI) Palod branch is located in a rented building in Palod village near Kim Cross Road. The property belongs to Sufiya Kagzi, who also owns a marble polishing unit next door. Police said the thieves first broke open the main door of the marble polishing unit. From there, they made a large hole in the shared wall to enter the bank and carry out the theft.

After entering the bank, the thieves broke open six lockers and stole cash, jewellery, and other valuables. One locker owner, Dhansukh Ahir, reported losing₹9 lakh in cash and 45 tolas of gold jewellery worth₹31.36 lakh. The theft was reported to Kosamba police, who registered a case and began their investigation.

Police found cucumbers, apple pieces, an iron bar cutter machine, and a glass on a sofa inside the bank. Officers suspect that the thieves were exhausted and hungry due to their exertions.

The bank lacks CCTV footage, making the investigation challenging. Hitesh Joyser, Superintendent of Police, Surat, said, “We are questioning labourers working in the marble polishing unit of Kagzi. There is no CCTV footage, and we are using all our techniques to identify the suspects. At present, we don’t know how many suspects there were. We suspect some known person was involved in the theft, as he would have been aware that the bank and marble polishing unit have a common wall.”

The figure of stolen items may rise as more locker holders return to the bank. The police are working with bank officials to contact account holders and verify their losses.

Complaint registered

Bank manager Alok Kumar filed a complaint with the Kosamba police station under various sections of the BNS Act, including theft and housebreaking by night. Authorities are actively investigating the case and using all available resources to identify the culprits. Further updates are expected as more locker holders report their losses.