AI photo for representation
New Delhi: In a daring evening heist in Lutyens’ Delhi, one of the city’s most guarded enclaves, a group of armed burglars held a prominent liquor firm owner and his family captive at their home in Golf Links on Thursday evening before fleeing with a massive haul of cash and jewellery.
Police said the crime was orchestrated with the help of a recently hired, unverified domestic help who had joined work last week.The incident unfolded around 7pm when six masked men barged into the victim’s home, gaining entry after the domestic help allegedly opened the door. Once inside, the group moved with precision, immediately seizing control of the household, said police. The family of four, which included a child, was held captive and subjected to severe threats.
Initial reports suggested the burglars used the child’s presence as leverage to ensure total compliance, demanding the keys to the household safe and all visible valuables.During a tense standoff that lasted about 15 minutes, the burglars, carrying break-in tools and rods, ransacked the premises. According to a police source, the family members resisted and put up a brave fight, prompting a scuffle during which they were roughed up.
Police did not confirm if they were tied up.Thereafter, the burglars forced the family to surrender an undisclosed but significant amount of cash and jewellery, quickly packing everything into bags. The six suspects, along with the domestic help, then fled with the loot.Police received information about the incident around 8pm, following which senior officers, including the joint commissioner and the DCP of the area, rushed to the spot and found the house ransacked.
Investigation revealed no police verification of the domestic help had been conducted. Cops suspect he gained employment using a forged identity and are trying to identify him with the help of CCTV footage. The family didn’t have his documents like Aadhaar or any photograph.
They were in a phone which, cops suspect, the burglars took it with them.CCTV footage recovered from the residence and surrounding streets confirmed the presence of masked men loitering in the area shortly before the strike.
Preliminary digital tracking and witness statements suggest the group fled with ease, likely heading toward ISBT and the local railway station to blend in with the crowds and facilitate a quick exit from the city.Cops mobilised a massive response, deploying six specialised teams, including the crime branch, to track the suspects. Investigators on Friday reconstructed an “electronic route” using a network of CCTV cameras across the district to establish the escape route used by the gang.A case has been registered under sections of armed robbery and dacoity at Tughlaq Road police station. While the suspects remain at large, police expressed confidence they will be nabbed soon.Meanwhile, the incident sent shockwaves through the upscale locality, with police stepping up patrolling in the area. A cop said the family has been left traumatised. Police have issued a fresh advisory, reiterating the non-negotiable necessity of formal police verification for all domestic staff.
