Debutant’s car robbed as he watched his film

There was no sign of forced entry

MUMBAI: All the 24-year-old Tushar Jalota asked for was an honest opinion from a relative and his two friends on his performance in his debut Show Biz. However, minutes after the four left Fame Adlabs multiplex — the venue of the film’s screening — accolades being showered on the budding actor were rudely interrupted by the realisation that Jalota’s car, parked outside the multiplex gates, had been robbed. There were no signs of forced entry.

“It happened around 15 days back. Expensive electronic equipment, including my laptop, had been stolen. Surprisingly, the car’s central locking system was in order and I had to unlock it before opening the car door,” Jalota told DNA. Jalota allegedly lost his laptop, DVDs, music CDs, an USB light and a costly bag, all worth Rs45, 000, while his cousin’s iPod, business planner and Blackberry charger worth Rs30,000 also went stolen.

While Jalota was unable to find adequate parking space, company secretary Shirish Shetye’s experience at the nearby Infinity Mall was more confounding. “My wife and I had shopped at Shoppers Stop before coming to Infinity Mall, where we parked in the second basement, which has no public thoroughfare. Yet all the shopping bags, including a Pathani saree worth Rs24,000, were stolen from the car,” Shetye said.

The fact that close-circuit television cameras (CCTV) monitored the car park proved no deterrent. Subinspector Bhaskar Pawar from the Oshiwara police station, where the FIRs of both the cases have been registered, said: “It is apparent that the same individual was involved in breaking into the vehicles in both the incidents.”