Broad daylight burglary in Bhubaneswar: Miscreants steal Rs 30 lakh from apartments

Bhubaneswar: Two unidentified miscreants, posing as tenants, broke into 10 flats in two apartment complexes in Chandaka area here in broad daylight on Thursday, and decamped with valuable items worth around Rs 30 lakh, according to an initial estimate.“We have received complaints and have formed multiple teams to track down the burglars. We are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the apartments,” a senior police officer said.Despite the presence of security guards at both apartment complexes, the intruders managed to gain entry by posing as tenants. They specifically targeted flats that were locked from the outside. “The security guards failed to verify their identities,” the police officer added.One of the victims, a woman, recounted, “I went to a nearby market for shopping. When I returned, I found my flat was burgled. My laptop and cash were stolen.”The burglaries occurred between 9am and 11am, with the two apartment complexes located about 1km apart. The total value of the stolen items is being calculated.Residents raised questions on the efficacy of police patrolling, who recently claimed to have increased security measures ahead of Durga Puja. “We feel unsafe leaving our homes locked. Thieves seem to have no fear of police,” claimed Susant Tripathy, a resident.Commissionerate police assured that they are making earnest efforts to dismantle criminal gangs. “We have made several arrests recently. In Feb, a robber from Madhya Pradesh was apprehended here after an exchange of gunfire. He was involved in multiple apartment thefts in Bhubaneswar,” the police officer stated.City police statistics revealed that between Sept 1, 2024, and Feb 28 this year, there were FIRs filed for a dacoity, 133 burglaries and 403 thefts in standalone residential houses in the capital city. During the same period, apartment complexes in the city reported 1 dacoity, 15 burglaries and 18 thefts.In response to an increase in residential break-ins, commissionerate police recently established an anti-burglary squad. The squad comprises over 150 police personnel, along with staff from various police stations. They have been tasked with regularly patrolling vulnerable areas on motorcycles and engaging with resident welfare associations, particularly areas on the outskirts of the city like Pahala, Balianta, Balipatna, Dhauli and Chandaka.