Thieves enter home after birthday party, use leftover cake to cover CCTV and steal Rs 9 lakh worth jewellery after woman posts gifts on Instagram

Three burglars allegedly broke into a Kolkata businessman's house just hours after his homemaker wife shared a picture wearing a Rs 5 lakh necklace gifted by her husband on her birthday. The gang spent around 50 minutes inside the empty house, stole cash, jewellery and three bottles of imported liquor, and left with valuables worth approximately Rs 9 lakh.

The unusual part of the break-in was how the burglars tried to conceal their identities. CCTV footage showed them smearing leftover birthday cake on camera lenses, covering their faces with pieces of clothing and turning furniture upside down while searching the house. The necklace that had appeared in the social media post was not inside the house when the burglary took place.

How burglars entered the Kolkata businessman's house

The incident took place on Saturday night at the family's residence, named Chandana, in Fartabad, Garia, Kolkata. The businessman, Prithviraj Roy, his wife and their 10-year-old son were away when the burglars entered.


According to Roy, the gang broke into the house by cutting through the grille of a window at the rear. The operation began at around 8 pm and lasted approximately 50 minutes.

The three men were captured on the property's CCTV cameras as they moved through different rooms, opened cupboards and pulled household belongings out while searching for valuables.

The footage showed the burglars turning furniture upside down and examining objects kept inside the house. At one point, they were also seen inspecting Radha-Krishna idols, apparently checking whether they were made of precious metal.

The gang did not spare the family's personal belongings either. Roy said the burglars vandalised the house and damaged even his son's telescope.

How the birthday cake was used to cover CCTV cameras

CCTV footage revealed that the burglars appeared to be aware of the surveillance arrangements inside the house.

After noticing the cameras, they attempted to cover the lenses using leftover birthday cake from the family's celebrations. The men smeared the cake over the cameras to obstruct the footage and avoid being recorded.

They also tried to conceal their faces using household clothing. One man wrapped a black cloth around his face, while another used a dupatta belonging to Roy's wife.

The burglars were described as well-dressed and wearing smartwatches. Their movements inside the house, including their attempts to cover the cameras and search specific areas, raised suspicions that they might have known the property's layout.

Roy said he believed the accused were familiar with the locations of the switches and surveillance cameras.

Police suspect social media necklace post may have alerted burglars

Police are investigating whether the homemaker's social media activity made the family a target.

The suspicion arose because the burglary took place hours after the woman shared a picture wearing a necklace worth Rs 5 lakh. Her husband had gifted it to her for her birthday.

The family had celebrated her birthday on October 28. However, Roy disputed claims that he had personally posted about the gift on social media.

"Yes, we celebrated my wife's birthday on Oct 28 and I gave her a gift, but I made no social media post about it. Those claiming otherwise are not linked to me," Roy said.

An officer at Narendrapur police station said the necklace was worth Rs 5 lakh. Police suspect the social media picture may have alerted the burglars to the family's valuables.

Baruipur police superintendent Arvind Kumar Anand also cautioned people about sharing personal information online.

He said personal moments shared on social media could alert criminals. He added that investigators had obtained leads and were hoping for a breakthrough.

What did the burglars steal?

According to Roy's complaint, the gang escaped with cash, jewellery and three bottles of expensive imported liquor.

The stolen valuables included:

• Cash.
• Three bottles of imported liquor.
• A pair of gold-covered shakha bangles.
• Other jewellery and valuables.

The total value of the stolen property was estimated at Rs 9 lakh.

The Rs 5 lakh necklace featured in the social media picture was not among the stolen items because it was not inside the house during the burglary.

Businessman says this was the third such incident in the locality

Roy, who gave up a foreign job to establish a business in Kolkata, said the incident had left the family concerned about its safety.

He pointed out that the house had CCTV surveillance covering every corner, yet the burglars managed to enter and ransack the property.

He also said this was the third similar incident in their locality since 2025.

Roy told police that recovering the stolen belongings was not his only concern. He wanted the authorities to ensure that residents in the area were safe from further break-ins.

He said the burglars had vandalised the house extensively, including damaging his son's telescope, and appeared to have had knowledge of the surveillance arrangements.

No arrests yet as Kolkata police investigate

Narendrapur police are investigating the burglary and examining the CCTV footage and other leads to identify the three men.

Police have not made any arrests so far. Investigators are also looking into whether the wife's social media post had any connection with the timing of the break-in.

The family has estimated the total value of the stolen cash, jewellery and imported liquor at Rs 9 lakh. The Rs 5 lakh birthday necklace that featured in the social media picture was not in the house when the burglars struck.

With TOI inputs