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WhatsApp status leads to domestic help’s arrest for theft from employer’s house in Bengaluru

The complainant noticed a WhatsApp status update posted by the domestic help in which she was seen wearing a Michael Kors wristwatch, resembling the one missing from his Bengaluru house.

2 min readBengaluruJan 14, 2026 10:22 PM IST

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What began as a case of missing household valuables took an unexpected digital turn when a domestic help in Bengaluru exposed the theft by flaunting a stolen luxury wristwatch in a WhatsApp status update, eventually leading to her arrest, the police said on Wednesday.

Soumya, 26, a resident of Doddakannahalli, was arrested on January 8 by the Bellandur police for allegedly stealing gold jewellery and a branded wristwatch from an apartment on Sarjapur Road where she was employed.

According to the police, gold jewellery weighing about 42 g, including a mangalsutra, along with a pair of imitation earrings and a Michael Kors wristwatch, went missing from the house of Rohit, a private company employee, on December 8, 2025.

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At the time, Rohit’s family questioned Soumya about the missing valuables, but she denied any involvement. Soon after, she stopped coming to work. No police complaint was filed at that stage.

On December 28, 2025, Rohit noticed a WhatsApp status update posted by Soumya in which she was seen wearing a Michael Kors wristwatch, resembling the one missing from his house, the police said. Suspecting it was the same watch, he took screenshots of the status.

Rohit subsequently approached the Bellandur police and filed a complaint on January 5, submitting the screenshots as evidence. Based on the complaint and digital proof, the police arrested Soumya.

The police said Soumya had allegedly confessed to the theft during her interrogation, adding that further investigation was underway.

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Officers recovered gold jewellery worth approximately Rs 4.5 lakh and the branded wristwatch valued at around Rs 20,000 from Soumya’s possession.

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