A masked gang allegedly robbed about 550 kg of silverware and silver bars, valued at Rs 13 crore, from a shop and warehouse in Salem in the early hours of Monday, attacking and restraining the premises’ security guard before fleeing in a car.
According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, four masked men entered the commercial premises around 2 am after attacking security guard Venkatesa with an iron rod and tying him with ropes. The robbers also smashed the shop’s CCTV cameras before entering through a staircase at the rear of the building.
The shop was owned by Balasubramani, 58, a resident of Chinneri Vayakkadu in Pallapatti. He and the employees had locked the shop and left on Sunday night. The attackers reportedly packed silverware and silver bars kept in both the shop and its warehouse before leaving within minutes.
Neighbours gathered after hearing the guard’s screams. Balasubramani arrived at the premises soon afterwards and found that a large quantity of silver items was missing. The report gives the quantity in the body as 600 kg, while its headline and summary cite 550 kg; police have not been quoted as resolving the discrepancy in the supplied report.
The Pallapatti police began investigating the robbery, while Metropolitan Police Commissioner A.G. Babu inspected the scene. The commissioner ordered the formation of special teams under Deputy Commissioner Bhaskaran and Assistant Commissioner Ramali Ramalakshmi to identify and arrest the suspects.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding area because the cameras inside the premises were damaged during the break-in. Fingerprint experts have also been deployed at the shop and warehouse as part of the evidence-gathering process.
The incident has placed attention on the security of high-value commercial properties operating alongside storage facilities in built-up areas. The supplied report does not specify whether the premises had an alarm system, insurance cover or other security arrangements beyond the lone guard and CCTV cameras. Police efforts are currently focused on analysing nearby footage and forensic evidence to trace the gang.
