Fire officer’s Paldi residence burgled

AHMEDABAD: A group of thieves struck at the residence of Rajesh Bhatt, additional chief fire officer of Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES), at Pankaj Society near Bhattha, Paldi, on Tuesday and made off with valuables worth Rs 1.5 lakh. Paldi police have started investigations on the basis of fingerprints and other evidence found at the spot.
Paldi police said Bhatt lives with his family at Navrangpura fire station near Vijay Crossroads.His brother-in-law and his wife look after the Pankaj Society residence.
“At 4.30pm on Tuesday, Bhatt’s brother-in-law had gone to the residence to get some documents. He noticed that the lock on the back door was broken and belongings had been rummaged through. He informed Bhatt and police and took stock of valuables. The thieves stole utensils, silver gift articles and bathroom fittings,” said a Paldi police official.
Investigators said that the door, windows and interiors have been damaged as the thieves looked for valuables. “On the basis of the modus operandi, it is suspected that the thieves may be drug addicts who wanted something they could sell. They did not even spare the bathroom fittings and taps, something other thieves would not even look at,” said a police official.
Police officials also added that from the way the house was ransacked, it is possible that more than one person carried out the theft. They may have entered from the back of the house, which is adjacent to an unoccupied house. Thus, they could have worked for hours together without being noticed.