Gold rush: No leads in millions worth of gold heists

Over five kg stolen in six different incidents in last three months.

RAWALPINDI:

Gold theft cases are on the rise in Rawalpindi district, as during the last three months, robbers have looted around five kilograms of the precious metal in various strikes.

According to data collected by The Express Tribune, during the last three months, at least six robberies have seen around five kilograms of gold stolen along with cash and other looted items. However, police remain unable to make a significant breakthrough in any of the registered robberies.

Office bearers of the Sarafa Bazaar Traders Union said that during the last three months, goldsmiths have been robbed at least six times, but the police have yet to trace a single culprit. They said that due to growing robbery incidents, goldsmiths are feeling insecure.

Nisar Ahmed, a spokesman for the Rawalpindi police, claimed that investigations into the gold heists are underway. He said that some gangs have been busted and information would be shared with media in the next few days.

On Tuesday, two unidentified robbers looted around two kilograms of gold from a goldsmith on Railway Workshop Road in the Ratta Police Station area. He was on his way back to his shop from Sarafa Bazaar after buying the gold.

A day earlier, some unidentified robbers tried to rob ARB Jeweller in the limits of Waris Khan Police Station. However, due to resistance put from the shop owner and his staffers, the robbers could not loot the shop and fled from the scene while firing their guns in to the air.

They fled on a bike bearing registration number RIS-5742. According to police records, the bike was stolen from the Banni Police Station area. “We are trying to trace the culprits,” said Waris Khan Police Station House Officer (SHO) Malik Yusuf.

Last Sunday, four unidentified robbers looted Alnoor Jewellers Tench Bhatta in the limits of Racecourse Police Station and made off with 1.2 kilograms of gold. “So far no arrest has been made, but we are trying to reach the culprits,” said Racecourse SHO Raja Masadaq.

Similarly, during the last week of January, unidentified robbers looted a shop in the Sadiqabad Police Station area and made off with jewellery worth Rs1 million. “There is still no progress in this case,” said Sadiqabad SHO Malik Allahyar.

The only ‘success story’ for the police was regarding a robbery in November. In that instance, a group of robbers looted 7 shops in the Kallar Syedan bazaar and made off with Rs16 million in gold.

The police managed to arrest the culprits but could only recover gold worth Rs1 million. “We arrested six accused involved in the heist and are trying our best to recover the remaining gold,” said SHO Malik Yar Muhammad.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2014.