Mumbai: Domestic help steals jewellery, cash worth Rs 41.5 lakh, flees

The complainant’s wife realised that the valuables had been stolen before Lakshmi Puja rituals. Representation pic

The Kandivli police are on the lookout for a domestic helper who allegedly stole cash and jewellery worth lakhs from his employer's house a day before Lakshmi Puja, which fell on October 24. According to police sources, the accused, Shrikant Yadav, 33, had been working for the complainant, a 51-year-old architect, for more than 12 years.

The family, which resides at Mahavir Nagar, Kandivli West, entrusted Yadav with running the house. The key to the cupboard from where cash and jewellery were stolen had been lost months ago. "The complaint's wife had given Yadav the responsibility of making a duplicate key, and he possibly made two keys and held on to one. Sensing an opportunity ahead of Diwali, he ran away with the valuables," said an officer.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Model held for ATM-related fraud

The complainant in his statement said that he had tasked Yadav with making purchases for Diwali but could not find him anywhere on October 24. When he asked his relatives and staff where Yadav was, he was told that he had left for his village on urgent business the previous day. Meanwhile, when the complainant's wife went to take out jewellery to worship it in the evening, she found that jewellery, including gold and silver coins, and cash worth R41.5 lakh had gone missing.

"We have begun the investigation. A special team has been formed. We have sent it to nab the accused in his home town," the police officer added. During the inquiry, it was learnt that Yadav was appointed as housekeeping staff after gaining the trust of the family and he had been overseeing the complainant's house as well as his office. He was also responsible for purchasing items for both.

33
Age of the accused Shrikant Yadav