Detectives from the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) have dismantled an organised burglary syndicate responsible for a major heist at Karushree Jewellers in Saheb Bazar, arresting eight individuals including seven key suspects and a receiver of stolen goods. Police recovered 26 bhori of gold, 62 bhori of silver, and 2.5 million Taka in cash generated from selling part of the loot.
Details of the multi-district operation were disclosed by RMP spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Gaziour Rahman during a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Investigations revealed that members of the syndicate spent four months conducting meticulous surveillance on Karushree Jewellers and its surrounding environment prior to the operation. Staying in local hotels and disguising themselves as traders or prospective buyers, they mapped out entry routes, identified structural vulnerabilities, and planned escape paths.
On the morning of 19 June, a group of 10 to 12 men assembled in front of the shop, setting up temporary street stalls to create a distraction and mask their movements. They picked the lock of an adjacent jewellery shop, gained access inside, and cut through the western brick wall of Karushree Jewellers.
According to the case filed by store owner Turjo Sarkar at Boalia Model Police Station, the burglars breached the safe and escaped with approximately 200 bhori of gold, 2,200 bhori of silver, three boxes of gold nose pins, and 20 million Taka in cash.
Unravelling the case required joint efforts from RMP’s Detective Branch, Cyber Unit, and CCTV Tracking Unit. Investigators noted that the suspects operated with high sophistication, discarding mobile handsets after single uses and relying on SIM cards registered under third-party identities without the owners’ knowledge.
The breakthrough occurred on the night of 8 September, when officers arrested 64-year-old Rustam Ali Sheikh in Khulna. His interrogation led detectives to conduct coordinated raids across Dhaka, resulting in the arrests of six accomplices: Swapan (62), Uzzal (37), Riaz Suman (39), Abu Taleb (45), Kalam Sheikh (48), and Yunus (45).
Subsequent leads led officers to arrest jeweller Robiul Hasan (45) in Dhaka for purchasing the stolen property. The missing gold, silver, and 2.5 million Taka were seized from his possession. Following his arrest, Robiul fell ill and was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital under police custody. RMP confirmed that officers are producing all suspects in court with a seven-day remand prayer to locate the remaining stolen goods and apprehend outstanding accomplices.
