Mohali, Nov. 26 -- The Rs.1.28-crore jewellery heist at Punjabi actor Kuljinder Sidhu's Sector 66 shop turned out to be an inside job, with the store manager himself behind the crime, said police.

Cracking the case in three weeks, police have arrested Deepak Kumar Bhardwaj, 47, who had been managing the store for nearly four years.

A resident of Kharar, he used his unrestricted access and detailed knowledge of the shop's security system to execute the theft, said investigators.

With his arrest, police recovered the stolen jewellery, including 61 gold nose pins, 48 gold earrings, two necklaces and two sets of bangles.

SP (City) Dilipreet Singh said the theft came to light on November 3, when complainant Vikram Singh Sandhu, the actor's...