Trusted househelp for 3 years steals Rs 2 cr gold

On August 25, a family residing in Bengaluru left their home for several hours. Their domestic helper, Tulsi, was alone in the house. Upon their return, they discovered that 1.5kg of gold jewellery worth over Rs 2 crore, and Rs 25,000 in cash, were missing.

Tulsi, who worked for the family for nearly three years, lived in a room provided by the family. Police are now suspecting that Tulsi took the valuables and fled with the assistance of associates.

Dilip Kaparthi, whose apartment is in Basavanagudi's Tata Silk Farm, reported the theft to the Banashankari police. Kaparthi runs a gold business on Avenue Road. The family had left around 12:30 pm for HSR Layout, and their son returned home around 3:30 pm to find the apartment door open.

Kaparthi then discovered signs of tampering in the bedroom cupboard and noticed that the safe locker containing the gold jewellery and cash was missing. The family alerted the Banashankari police. CCTV footage showed Tulsi leaving the apartment complex with her belongings, which investigators believe contained the stolen items.

Police suspect that Tulsi received help from associates while escaping. They are now attempting to identify and locate those who may have assisted her. The stolen jewellery and cash have not yet been recovered, and the investigation is ongoing.

The police have warned residents about the precautions they should take when hiring domestic workers and security staff. Joint Commissioner of Police (West) Vamsi Krishna advised residents to perform police verification before hiring domestic workers or security guards. He suggested restricting access to rooms with valuables and storing gold in bank lockers instead of at home.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Kona Vamsi Krishna stated that the police have been raising awareness among residents through the Mane Manege Police initiative. This case in Bengaluru highlights how a domestic worker, who had worked in a household for years, allegedly exploited a chance to access valuables when the family was away. Police are currently investigating whether Tulsi planned the theft alone or had assistance from others.