A seven-member gang cleaned out jewellery and cash worth lakhs from two Ranchi houses at Shivajinagar in Sadar thana area between 1am and 2.40am on Friday.

Prima facie, it is suspected to be the handiwork of a gang outside Ranchi.

Police have started probing on the basis of blurred video footage captured by a road-facing CCTV camera installed by a wealthy cattle-rearer Nepal Mahto at his home from where robbers decamped with Rs 2 lakh in cash, as well as gold bangles, chains, earrings and silver jewellery.

The same gang apparently targeted the house of retired government employee Pradeep Narayan Prasad and made off with Rs 10,000 in cash, a gold chain and ring. Prasad's house is around 300 metres away from Mahto's.

In both the cases, intruders sneaked in by removing iron grilles of the main gate and a window.

"I have a two-storey house. The intruders targeted the first floor when we were asleep on the ground floor. They removed iron grilles of a window of the room where we keep our valuables in an almirah. They took Rs 2 lakh in cash. I had kept Rs 4.50 lakh in cash under the bed, which is safe," Mahto said.

He said he had installed three CCTV cameras out of which only two were working.

"The CCTV camera facing the road captured their image but the resolution is not so clear. Seven persons are seen walking on the road with sharp weapons," he added.

Prasad in his complaint said the theft was committed around 1.30am.

Besides examining camera footage, police have deployed sniffer dogs and forensic experts to crack the crimes

"We have procured CCTV footage that can help in the probe. An gang outside Ranchi seems to be involved," said Sadar police station OC Dayanand Kumar.