Saleswoman Steals ₹1.7 Crore Jewellery from Ahmedabad Showroom to ‘Elope’; Boyfriend Absconds With Loot

Ahmedabad: What allegedly began as a plan to start a new life with her boyfriend ended in betrayal and arrest for a jewellery showroom employee accused of stealing ornaments worth ₹1.66 crore from a store in the Nikol area. Police have arrested Harshida Shetty (38), who allegedly carried out the theft to elope and settle down with her married boyfriend.

According to police, the theft took place on May 11 at a jewellery showroom located in Gravity Shopping Mall near Anmol Circle in Nikol. Shetty had been working at the showroom as a salesgirl for nearly 11 months and had gained the trust of showroom owner Darshan Shah through her work.

Shetty allegedly took advantage of the owner’s lunch break and executed the theft in the afternoon. Before leaving, she reportedly informed other employees that she had received permission from the owner to attend urgent personal work.

The matter came to light around 5 pm after staff members found ornaments missing from display trays. When questioned, employees told Shah that Shetty had already left after claiming she had received approval to go home early. CCTV footage was immediately checked and allegedly showed Shetty concealing gold chains, rings, lockets, and mangalsutras inside her blazer, uniform, and bag before leaving the showroom around 4.30 pm.

Police said Shetty fled Ahmedabad on a motorcycle with her alleged boyfriend, identified as Mayur Mali. The duo reportedly travelled across several northern states and stayed at hotels and hill stations while remaining in hiding.

Investigators said the relationship later took a dramatic turn in Delhi. While Shetty was taking a bath at a hotel, Mali allegedly fled with most of the stolen jewellery, leaving behind ornaments worth around ₹18 lakh in her purse. Police said Shetty, who is divorced, had reportedly hoped her boyfriend would leave his wife and marry her.

Shetty was later arrested while allegedly attempting to sell the remaining jewellery to local jewellers. During interrogation, police claimed she confessed to carrying out the theft at her boyfriend’s insistence. Based on technical surveillance and local intelligence, police launched a search operation for Mali and are continuing efforts to recover the missing ornaments.

Meanwhile, a local court in Ahmedabad on Tuesday sent Shetty to a three-day police remand. Investigators are probing the alleged sale of some of the stolen jewellery in Delhi and are also examining whether anyone else was involved in the case. Most of the stolen ornaments are yet to be recovered. DeshGujarat