Saleswoman steals jewellery worth Rs 2.5 crore from Surat showroom, her husband puts them up for sale at his new shop

The accused, Khushbu Kansara, a resident of Majuragate, has been working as a saleswoman at Surbhi Jewellery since January 2024, earning a monthly salary of Rs 15,000. She gained the trust of the owner and was given the responsibility of maintaining the stock of gold and diamond-studded jewellery items towards the end of last year, said the police.

Police sources stated that, on multiple occasions over the past year and a half, Khushbu stole gold ornament items from the showroom and stored them at her home. Her husband, Manoj Kansara, meanwhile, started another jewellery shop called Shyam in the middle of last year at Bhatar, where the stolen jewellery from Surbhi was allegedly displayed and sold.

The police said the incident came to light at the start of September, when Surbhi and her husband, Rakesh, went to Jamshedpur for business purposes. On September 3, Karina Singhvi, another saleswoman at the Surbhi showroom, found through CCTV footage that Khushbu had stolen gold ornaments from the showroom and informed Surbhi about it. Surbhi told her to keep silent for a few more days, until she returned.

On the morning of September 8, Surbhi called Khushbu and her husband Manoj to the showroom and demanded an explanation regarding the CCTV footage. Rakesh and Surbhi questioned the couple about the missing jewellery items from the showroom, but they denied any involvement. The Shah couple checked the safe and stock register, discovering that several gold ornaments were missing.

Police sources said Surbhi and her husband, on Sunday, personally visited the Shyam shop at Bhatar, run by Manoj, and discovered several ornaments with stickers bearing the Surbhi sign.

Surbhi called up the Umra police and complained of theft of gold ornaments worth Rs 2.05 crore against Khushbu and Manoj. The police registered an offence under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 306 (3) [theft by servant or clerk]. The Umra police arrested the Kansara couple Sunday night.

Talking to The Indian Express, Inspector J A Rathwa said, “Khushbu was involved in stealing gold ornaments and handing them to her husband, who runs the Shyam jewellery shop, and he sold them to his customers. We have recovered some of the ornaments, while others were sold off, and some were kept hidden. We will produce the couple in court and obtain police remand.”