Ghaziabad: A seven-year-old boy dressed in a black suit and boots was allegedly used to steal a bag carrying cash, jewellery and mobile phones worth over Rs 5 lakh from a wedding function in Indirapuram. CCTV footage showed him quietly lifting the bag and walking away while the family was busy greeting guests.Police said the theft took place during the “jai mala” ceremony at a banquet hall in Indirapuram on Saturday, when the crowd and commotion gave the accused the perfect cover.The child had entered the venue with a man, aged around 35. According to CCTV footage, the bag had been placed on a table beside the complainant’s mother while the family was occupied attending to guests.The child approached the table, removed his black blazer, wrapped the bag inside it and left without drawing attention.By the time the family realised the bag was missing, both had disappeared.Complainant Gaurav Mishra, a resident of Geeta Colony in Delhi, told police the bag contained gold jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh, an iPhone 13, Rs 20,000 in cash and additional money received as wedding gifts.The function was being held at Royal Ambience Lawn-2 on CISF Road for his younger brother’s wedding.ACP (Indirapuram) Abhishek Srivastava said the child and the man were later seen leaving through the rear side of the banquet hall before fleeing on a motorcycle.“The family was busy during the garlanding ceremony. The bag was kept beside the complainant’s mother. The child lifted it and left with the accomplice,” Srivastava said.Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons under Section 303(2) (theft) of BNS. Teams are examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the suspects.Police suspect the child may have been deliberately used because he could move around the crowded venue without raising suspicion. The theft drew parallels with a similar incident in Kavi Nagar in Feb 2023, when two men fled with a bag carrying Rs 1.3 lakh in cash during a wedding ceremony.
