Thief strikes Surat vegetable vendor’s home, steals cash, jewellery and LPG cylinder as fuel anxiety grips Gujarat

Amid growingfears over LPG availability,a thief broke into the house of a vegetable vendor in Surat’s Punagam area and stole cash, jewellery, and even a cooking gas cylinder, all worth around Rs 1.95 lakh, the police said Friday.

According to theSuratpolice, the incident occurred when the homeowner’s wife stepped out to shop.

The complainant, Jeevan Vaghela, 27, a resident of Ashanagar Society, left home in the afternoon to sell vegetables at a nearby market.

Later in the day, his wife, Reena, called him to inform him that their house had been burgled.

When Vaghela returned, he found the cupboard broken and cash and jewellery missing.

He alerted the police control room, following which officers from the Punagam police station reached the spot with sniffer dogs.

Vaghela told the police that his wife had locked the main door before leaving for work in the afternoon.

When she returned, she found the lock open and the valuables missing.

According to the complaint, the stolen items include jewellery worth Rs 1.65 lakh, Rs 30,000 in cash, and a domestic LPG cylinder.

The police said they have registered a theft offence against an unknown person, and have started an investigation.

“Generally, miscreants steal cash, jewellery and valuable items, but here the miscreant stole a household-use LPG cylinder.

We suspect someone known to the family may be involved in the theft,” V M Desai, Inspector, Punagam police, told TheIndian Express.

“There are no CCTV cameras, and we are cross-verifying the statements given by the complainant and his wife.

We have also alerted our local informers to find any clues into the incident.

At present, it is difficult to say anything, but we are sure that we will catch the accused”.

Vaghela, originally from Surendranagar district, has been living in Surat for the past few years.

His elder brother also resides in the city separately with his family.

Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli.

With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.

Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries.

His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.

Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.

Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.

Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).

Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region...

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