A bizarre heist went down on New Years Eve in New York when two wholesale jewelers staged a $4 million diamond heist dressed as Hasidic Jews. Atul Shah, 48, and Mahaveer Kankariya, 43, have been charged with trying to arrange a fake bank heist at their Midtown store on New Year’s Eve.
The bizarre robbery took place in broad daylight on Dec 31, 2008. Enhanced video surveillance revealed the two robbers clad in Hasidic Jew Orthodox garb—black coats, black hats, fake beards, and even flashing fake IDs to lobby security. Security cameras show them then taking the elevators up to their fifth floor store, Dialite Imports.
The two were buzzed inside the store, only to pull out guns and hold Shah and another employee hostage. They were ordered to clean out the safe of all diamonds and jewels. The two purported robbers then tied Shah and the other employee up with duct tape before escaping.
Shah and Kankariya have been charged with grand larceny, insurance fraud and falsifying business records in connection with the robbery.









