Hyderabad: The demonetisation move has made everyone cautious and people are increasingly worried about the cash they have stored away in old notes. And perhaps, for the first time, your money could even be safe — from thieves.

With the old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes now invalid, a thief who had broken into a wine shop in Warangal early on Wednesday could not take away much loot with him.

And that’s because much of the Rs 1lakh he found hidden in the cash counter of the shop contained the old, and now illegal, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The burglar was then only able to take away Rs 35,000 after his night out in town. He left the remaining cash in the counter untouched.

The ‘smart theft’ took place at the Kiran wine shop in Kashibugga. The shop’s owner, one Krishnamurthy, discovered the crime after he opened his shop for the day’s business on Wednesday morning and he promptly informed the police. The liquor trader also quickly realised how lucky he was as much of the cash that was kept at the shop was left untouched by the thief.

Stunned police officials from the crime branch at Warangal have visited the shop and have launched a probe. It’s not just thieves, videos on social media showed even beggars refusing to accept the old notes.