Odisha women trick shopkeepers to steal sarees worth Rs 7 lakh, caught on camera
A group of women pulled off a Rs 7 lakh saree theft at a showroom in Odisha by posing as customers and hiding sarees under their clothes, with police still searching for the accused.
A daring saree heist worth nearly Rs 7 lakh at a Boyanika showroom in Odisha by a group of women behind the theft remains untraceable, with CCTV footage of the incident going viral on social media.
According to police reports, the group, comprising six women and one man, pulled off the theft in broad daylight by posing as regular customers. They reportedly arrived in a luxury Toyota Innova and entered the showroom without raising suspicion.
Once inside, the operation unfolded with precision.
While a few members of the group kept the staff occupied by asking to see multiple saree options, others quietly went about executing the theft. In what officials described as a highly coordinated act, the accused allegedly concealed around 25 expensive tissue pata sarees under the garments they were already wearing, hiding them around their waist and lower body.
The method was so seamless that nothing seemed out of place at the time.
It was only during a routine stock check later that the showroom staff realised items were missing. CCTV footage then revealed how the group had worked in sync, distracting employees, forming a human shield, and slipping out without detection.
Watch the video here:
“They arrived in a Toyota Innova, and after entering, some of them diverted the staff’s attention by asking to see sarees in another section. Meanwhile, others formed a human corridor and stole the sarees,” said store in-charge Satyabrata Behera.
Following the discovery, a complaint was lodged at Angul Town Police Station, and an investigation was launched based on CCTV evidence. Police teams have since been working to identify the accused and trace their movements.
Initial inputs suggest the group of women may have fled towards Sambalpur, though their exact whereabouts are yet to be confirmed.
The incident has left local traders on edge, with many worried about the possibility of similar organised thefts targeting showrooms across the state. Authorities have urged business owners to remain alert and strengthen surveillance measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.