Two maids accused of stealing gold, diamond jewellery worth ₹12 lakh in Ahmedabad

Two women employed as domestic helpers have been booked for allegedly stealing gold and diamond jewellery along with cash worth over ₹12 lakh from a businessman’s residence in Ahmedabad’s Fatewadi area, police said on Thursday.

According to Vejalpur police, the theft came to light after the family installed a CCTV camera inside their bedroom to monitor suspicious activity around a locker kept in the house.

The complainant, Mehndiraja Merchant, 27, who runs a pastry business in Anand under the name Merchant A Green Foods Private Limited, stated that his wife had travelled to Mumbai with their two children on April 20 for a holiday. During this period, two women identified as Kausarben and Parveenben continued to visit the house daily for cleaning work between 1 pm and 4 pm.

Merchant told police that on April 23, he had kept several valuables inside a locker at his residence. The items allegedly included 13 gold ornaments weighing around 10 tolas, two diamond-studded gold ornaments, a gold pendant set weighing around two-and-a-half tolas, and cash amounting to ₹60,000.

The family first became suspicious on April 30 when Merchant’s mother, Hinabanu, opened the safe to withdraw money and allegedly discovered that ₹60,000 cash was missing. Upon checking the jewellery pouches kept inside the locker, she found that several gold and diamond ornaments were also unaccounted for.

After searching the house without success, the family installed a CCTV camera inside the bedroom on May 5. When the footage was reviewed the following evening, the complainant alleged that the two domestic workers were seen entering the bedroom, opening the locker, and removing valuables from inside.

Following another inspection of the locker, the family claimed that jewellery and cash collectively valued at around ₹12.25 lakh had been stolen. The missing items allegedly included gold ornaments worth approximately ₹7 lakh, diamond jewellery valued at ₹3 lakh, a gold pendant set worth ₹1.65 lakh, and cash.

Based on the complaint, Vejalpur police have registered a case of theft against the two women, whose full identities and addresses are yet to be ascertained.

Police said efforts are underway to trace the accused and recover the stolen valuables.