Chinese duo arrested for stealing diamond at exhibition stall

Mumbai police have arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly stealing a diamond worth Rs 34 lakh from an exhibition centre in suburban Goregaon.

Chiang Chang Kwing and Deng Xiabo were held by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnels at the Mumbai international airport minutes before they were about to board a flight to Osaka in Japan last night.

The duo, who arrived in the city on July 30, visited an international jewellery exhibition at NESCO ground in Goregaon East yesterday afternoon, said Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Pradhan.

They engaged the sales executive at one of the stalls in conversation, asking several questions, and managed to steal a 5.43 carat diamond on display by replacing it with a fake one.
 

The stall owner noticed the sleight of hand after the duo had left. The police surmised that they may try and escape the country and alerted CISF officers at the airport.

The duo had cleared immigration checks when the CISF personnels apprehended them.

The police interrogated the accused for about seven hours with the help of an interpreter, and recovered the stolen diamond which was hidden in a shampoo bottle, Pradhan said.

Two fake diamonds and magnifying glasses were also recovered from their possession. Both were arrested for cheating and theft under the IPC.

A local court remanded them in judicial custody till August 14 today. Further probe is on.