Pune, Nov 2 (IANS): Unidentified 'smart' thieves emptied a jewellery shop here of gold and cash worth around Rs.21 million, and the records of CCTV footages to protect their identity, police said Friday.

The theft took place at JP Jewellers in the Rastapeth area of the city around midnight, police said. "The owner of the shop, Kiran J. Sonegra and his family live adjacent to the shop and were asleep when the theft took place," Samarth police station chief V.S. Nikam told IANS.

Sonegra, who closed the shop at 9 p.m. Thursday, discovered the theft Friday morning when he found the shutter locks broken and immediately called the police.

Nikam said that according to the shop owner, thieves took away gold ornaments weighing around 7.5 kg and Rs.47,000 in cash. All the cupboards and racks were emptied off to the smallest ornament, he added.

When police tried to retrieve the data from CCTVs installed at the shop, they were shocked to find videotapes also missing.