Balasore, July 23 (UDN): A major burglary was reported from Baringia village under Khaira police limits in Odisha’s Balasore district, where unidentified miscreants allegedly decamped with gold and silver ornaments worth over ₹20 lakh and ₹80,000 in cash after breaking into a locked house late on Wednesday night.

The burglary occurred at the residence of Ananta Kumar Mishra. At the time of the incident, Mishra and his wife were sleeping in an adjacent mud house, while their concrete house, where the valuables were kept, was locked. Their two sons, who work outside the village, were away from home.

The theft came to light around 3 am when the family noticed that the grill gate of the house had been forcibly opened. Upon entering the premises, they found the house ransacked and discovered that all the gold and silver ornaments, along with the cash, had been stolen.

Following the incident, the family lodged a complaint with Khaira Police, who have launched an investigation. The burglary has triggered concern among residents, with locals demanding enhanced security and increased night patrolling in the area.

Abandoned Motorcycles May Provide Lead

In a possible breakthrough, police are investigating a suspicious incident reported nearly two kilometres from the burglary site.

According to locals, a group of youths returning from Bhubaneswar spotted four unidentified men behaving suspiciously at a local marketplace late on Wednesday night. When questioned, the suspects reportedly fled, leaving behind two motorcycles.

Police later recovered bags abandoned at the spot, which contained tools commonly used in house break-ins, including a crowbar, a cutter machine, drill machine discs, and a sharp weapon.

Investigators are examining whether the abandoned motorcycles and burglary tools are connected to the theft at Baringia village. Efforts are underway to identify the suspects, trace the stolen valuables, and determine if the gang was involved in other thefts in the region.