Surat: A major diamond heist has shaken India’s diamond hub after thieves broke into a polishing unit in Kapodra during the festive holidays, escaping with diamonds worth over ₹25 crore, cash, and CCTV-DVRs.

Exploiting a three-day shutdown, the gang targeted the fourth-floor factory in Kapoorwadi. They first disabled the fire alarm, broke open the only wooden entry door, and slipped inside. The absence of cameras on that floor aided their plan. Once in, they dismantled a glass partition, cut through a three-layer safe using a gas cutter, and left behind a gaping hole as evidence of their precision. To erase digital traces, they damaged multiple cameras and carried away the DVRs.

The heist came to light only when the factory owner, Devendra Chaudhary, returned after the holidays to find the safe empty. Police teams, including the crime branch and forensic experts, rushed to the spot.

Speaking to the media, Chaudhary said, “It was a one-and-a-half day holiday on August 15 and a full-day holiday on Atham. Goods worth ₹25–30 crore, around $3 million, have been stolen. The consignment had arrived just a week ago.” He added that the firm currently employs only 15–20 workers due to the slowdown in the industry.

Police have recovered a lighter and broken tiles, suspecting the burglars used a getaway vehicle. Preliminary findings suggest it took the gang nearly two hours to cut through the fortified locker, pointing to the use of advanced tools and professional expertise.

DCP Alok Kumar said the factory had remained shut since August 15, with no security guard on duty. Calling it “a conspiracy executed with expertise,” he added that the role of an international diamond smuggling syndicate cannot be ruled out. Police are now scanning call data, road footage, and questioning suspects, while also examining whether the burglars had inside information about the unit’s security loopholes.

The theft has rattled Surat’s diamond belt, raising concerns over inadequate surveillance across the city’s cutting and polishing units. DeshGujarat