A peculiar theft unfolded at a petrol pump on the Jeerapur-Machalpur Road, where a thief was caught on CCTV performing a prayer ritual before stealing Rs 1.57 lakh.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday and was recorded on multiple cameras installed inside the pump's office.
The thief reportedly accessed the premises through fields behind the petrol pump, evading the road-facing cameras. CCTV footage shows the man entering the office and pausing to bow before a small shrine inside.
After offering prayers, he began rummaging through drawers and almirahs, ultimately collecting Rs 1.57 lakh in cash. Adding to the bizarre sequence of events, the thief adjusted one of the CCTV cameras, seemingly to obscure his actions, but failed to notice another camera still recording. Before leaving, he once again bowed to the deity, completing his unusual ritual.
Machalpur Police Station in-charge Jitendra Singh described the theft as highly unusual. "The footage clearly shows the thief acted alone and sought blessings before committing the crime. We are analyzing the evidence and are confident of identifying and arresting him soon," he stated.
