Came through roof, stayed 8 hours: How masked man stole Rs 14-crore gold in Mathura

Around 9.30 pm on Sunday, a lone figure dressed in black snuck into a jewellery shop in Mathura through the roof. He remained inside for nearly eight hours. By the time he slipped out at 5.30 am, more than 10 kg of gold worth Rs 14 crore and nearly Rs 14 lakh in cash were gone — along with the shop’s CCTV Digital Video Recorder (DVR).

The theft came to light after the shop in Kosi Kalan was opened on Monday morning and its owner checked the iron safe containing the gold and jewellery and found it was all gone. He informed the police and a team rushed to the spot.

Mathura police are now trying to identify the masked man, piecing together his movements after the break-in from CCTV cameras outside the shop. A masked man allegedly broke into a jewellery shop in Mathura’s Kosi Kalan through the roof and spent nearly eight hours inside before escaping with gold worth Rs 14 crore and around Rs 14 lakh in cash.

Police are examining CCTV footage from outside the shop to trace the… pic.twitter.com/ZcJQLZE9iw — The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) September 15, 2026 Police suspect the crime may have involved an insider and have zeroed in on a former employee, sources said.

Police suspect the alleged thief reached the shop’s terrace by scaling the boundary wall of a neighbouring house and crossing several interconnected rooftops. He then cut through an iron grille, meant to keep monkeys out, using a gas cutter to enter the shop.

Police said once inside, he went straight to the room where the strong-room keys were kept and used them to open the safe. Police said the suspect took gold ornaments, jewellery and gold biscuits, leaving the silver and artificial jewellery untouched.

He then retraced his route: police said he went to the terrace, crossed to the neighbouring rooftop, descended into the house below, and left through the main gate. With the shop’s DVR missing, police have had to rely on CCTV cameras installed at nearby shops and houses.

Footage shows the suspect carrying two bags and hiring an e-rickshaw in the early morning hours. The e-rickshaw took him to several locations, with police following his movements through CCTV footage along the route. Police found he went to the railway station before doubling back.

He was later dropped off in a congested part of the city, where his trail went cold. Police also questioned the e-rickshaw driver, but he could not provide a clear description of the man’s face. The absence of a broken lock and the suspect’s apparent familiarity with the shop have led police to suspect the involvement of a current or former employee.