Mumbai domestic help, husband steal gold from elderly employer’s house, arrested

The police said that after the complainant’s husband died during the pandemic, she has been staying alone in her Cuffe Parade residence.

“Sharma was looking for the right opportunity to steal the valuables of the elderly woman who would be ill most of the time. The domestic help knew where the keys of the cupboard and the locker are kept in the hall. Under the pretext of sweeping the floors, the accused in the third week of May occasionally got inside the bedroom and started stealing jewellery from the cupboard,” said an officer with the Cuffe parade station.

The officer said that Sharma was smart enough to ensure that not all ornaments are lifted at one go. She stole the valuables multiple times and that too in small numbers, he said.

“On May 26, the accused allegedly told the complainant that she is pregnant and the doctor has suggested complete bed rest due to which she would not be coming for work,” he said, adding that on the last day of her work, she escaped with all the jewellery the 79-year-old had in her cupboard.

The theft came to light on June 10, when the elderly woman was getting ready for a family function. “She looked for some ornaments but could not find them. Later, she realised that all her jewellery was missing from her cupboard. She informed her relatives at the function,” said an officer.

The relatives then called up Rubika Sharma and the newly appointed house help and inquired about the missing valuables.

“The family asked them to return the stolen jewellery but as none of them did, the 79-year-old then lodged a police complaint,” said an officer.

A police team brought Sharma and the new domestic house help to the police station for inquiry. During interrogation, Sharma confessed to the crime and said that the stolen items were hidden inside her husband’s scooter’s boot space.

“Later Ravi was brought in for inquiry and he was also arrested for his role in the crime. The jewellery was recovered from the scooter’s boot space and seized the two-wheeler,” said an investigator.