Trapped inside jewellery store and surrounded by local residents, thieves dial 112 for Gujarat ‘police help’
The burglars, originally from Uttar Pradesh and staying in Mumbai – Dinesh Sonkar (32), a resident of Boisar and Vipin Pathak (27), a resident of Nalasopara – broke into BR Jewellery in Sanjan around 3 am on Thursday.
An attempted jewellery heist saw an unusual turn when the alleged thieves, fearing they would be beaten up by the public, called the police control room and turned themselves in after being trapped inside the store they had targeted.
The incident took place in the coastal town of Sanjan in Umargam taluka of Gujarat’s Valsad district early Thursday.
The burglars, originally from Uttar Pradesh and staying in Mumbai – Dinesh Sonkar (32), a resident of Boisar and Vipin Pathak (27), a resident of Nalasopara – broke into BR Jewellery in Sanjan around 3 am on Thursday.
According to the police, the duo had cut the lock to open the shutter and enter the store. They were packing the ornaments, valuables and cash into their bags when neighbours woke up, hearing the noises. Meanwhile, there was a power outage as a result of which local residents came out of their homes.
A friend of shop owner Manish Sharma, who lived opposite the store, woke up to the sounds and raised an alarm, and several people gathered near the store. Meanwhile, the local residents downed the shutter, trapping the thieves inside. Sharma also turned up at the site soon.
Scared that the public gathered outside would beat them up, one of the burglars, Sonkar, called the emergency helpline number 112, which led the police to the spot.
Talking to The Indian Express, Umargam police inspector H D Tuvar said, “Dinesh Sonkar called the Emergency helpline number and said that they were trapped in a jewellery shop, surrounded by people. Attending the call, our team were on their way to the spot and on the mid-way they got another call from local residents who told them that burglars had been trapped in the jewellery shop. We got two calls, one from the local people and another from the burglars.”
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Hearing the police callout, the burglars opened the shutters and surrendered and were arrested.
Police said both the accused, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, had been staying in Mumbai for the last few years. Following a complaint lodged by the jewellery owner, an FIR was registered and Sonkar and Pathak were booked under BNS Sections 331 (4) (house-breaking by night), 305 (a) (theft in a dwelling house), 54 (a person who helped plan or encourage a crime is physically present when the crime happens).
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
