A similar incident had been reported from a showroom in the same market recently. In December, the locks of another showroom had been broken, though no theft was reported due to the presence of a central locking system.

Ramesh Goel, owner Goel Auto Line, the shop that was burgled, said he found the locks of the shop broken in the morning, after which he called the police.

He later found the imported stereos missing. Other accessories and the old-fashioned and cheaper stereos, meanwhile, were left untouched. The night watchman is missing since the incident. Ramesh said they had hired him on January 1 after the previous watchman was caught drunk on duty.

Raghbir Singh, Station House Officer of the Sector-26 police station, said he was unaware of any such incidents in the past.

“We registered a case today and don’t know of any such incidents in the past. The watchman was employed by the shopkeepers themselves and we don’t know about him,” said SHO Raghbir Singh. Ramesh, however, said: “Stereos worth lakhs of rupees had been stolen from Punjab Autos, a shop in the same market, last year too.”