Rs 60 lakh looted from property dealer’s house in Jyoti Nagar
A quiet residential block in northeast Delhi’s Jyoti Nagar turned into the scene of a major burglary on Christmas night. Thieves broke into the locked house of a property dealer and fled with cash and jewellery worth nearly Rs 60 lakh, police said on Friday.
The theft took place at C-148, LIG DDA Flats, East of Loni Road, between 8 pm on December 25 and around 12.30 am on December 26, when the family was away. The incident came to light after a neighbour noticed the main gate standing open and alerted the homeowner.
Police said the complainant, Gaurav Pal, 39, lives on the ground floor of the DDA flats and has been residing there with his family for over three decades. On Thursday evening, he locked the house and stepped out with his family.
Hours later, a phone call from a neighbour changed the night. “When the family returned, the main gate lock was broken. Inside, cupboards were open, and valuables were scattered,” a police officer said. “The house had been thoroughly searched.”
The FIR registered at Jyoti Nagar police station reveals the scale of the theft. According to the complaint, burglars made away with around Rs 22 lakh in cash, along with gold and diamond jewellery, silver ornaments and gold coins. The list includes multiple gold chains with lockets, bangles, rings, mangalsutra, diamond tops, diamond rings, nose pins, bracelets and silver items. Even children’s piggy banks were broken open.
Police have registered a case under Sections 305(a) and 331(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A senior officer said the theft appears to be well-planned and timed. “CCTV footage from the area shows three unidentified men moving around the house during the time window of the burglary,” the officer said. “Their movements are being analysed.”
Pal told police that he works as a property dealer and had recently concluded a deal. A large amount of cash was kept at home. He has raised the possibility that someone with prior knowledge of the money and the family’s movement could be involved.
After receiving a PCR call, a police team reached the spot and informed senior officers. The crime team was called in, photographs were taken, and forensic evidence was collected. Statements of neighbours are also being recorded to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Residents of the colony said the incident has left many shaken. “This is a densely populated area. The thieves had enough time to break in and search the entire house,” said a neighbour. “It raises serious questions about safety.” Police said no arrests have been made yet. Teams are checking CCTV footage from nearby lanes and entry points and scanning records of known burglars active in the area. Raids will be conducted once suspects are identified, officers said.
Investigators are also verifying the route used by the burglars to enter and exit the house and whether any local assistance was involved. Police have advised residents to remain alert, avoid keeping large sums of cash at home and inform neighbours or local beat staff when leaving houses locked for long hours.
