May we? Thieves wake 76-year-old Gujarat woman from sleep, seek ‘cooperation’, tie her up, steal Rs65k

AHMEDABAD: In a burglary that unfolded more like a late-night courtesy call than a crime, a 76-year-old woman in Sevalia village in Kheda district was allegedly robbed by four men who woke her from sleep, greeted her calmly and sought her cooperation before tying her hands and feet and walking away with cash and jewellery.

The incident took place around 11pm on Jan 10 at the woman's bungalow in MD Bungalows Society near ACC company premises in Galteshwar taluka. A complaint was filed with Sevalia police the next morning.

According to the FIR, the elderly woman, who lives alone with a watchman stationed outside, finished dinner and went to bed when she was woken up by a man. As she opened her eyes, she saw two men near her and two seated near her feet. One of them covered her mouth and requested her not to raise an alarm. After politely asking if they could tie her up, they used her dupattas to bind her hands and legs.

What followed, police said, was a robbery conducted without haste or raised voices. The men asked her where the valuables were kept. Fearing harm, she pointed towards a drawer that contained keys to her cupboard and Rs 15,000 meant for daily expenses. When asked if there was any jewellery, she initially said no. One of the men then noticed a gold ring on her finger, prompting her to remove it and hand it over herself.

The two men checked cupboards and drawers but found nothing else of value. Before leaving, they loosened the cloth binding her hands and told her not to make any noise, adding that she could untie her feet after they exited the house.

The woman did not suffer any injuries and remained inside her home until morning. At daybreak, she alerted the watchman. A broken mosquito mesh and an open dining room window suggested the route of entry.

Police said the robbers made away with Rs 15,000 in cash and a gold ring weighing around 4g, together valued at about Rs 65,000.

Sevalia police registered a case of house trespass and robbery and are scanning nearby CCTV footage to identify the suspects, whose choice of words may have been polite, but whose actions were not.