Rs 18 Crore Heist in Bengaluru: Nepalese Housekeeping Couple Flees with Gold, Cash

In a major Bengaluru theft, a Nepalese domestic worker couple allegedly stole gold, diamond and silver jewellery worth Rs 18 crore from a builder’s home in Yamaluru. The theft happened while the family was away for a few hours.

One of Bengaluru’s biggest residential thefts

In one of the biggest residential thefts reported in Bengaluru in recent years, a pair of domestic workers allegedly fled with gold, diamond and silver jewellery worth around Rs 18 crore from a builder’s house in Yamaluru.

The incident took place at a luxury home in ASK Lake Garden on Kempapura Main Road. The theft is believed to have occurred during the daytime, while the family was away for a few hours.

Who are the accused?

The main accused are a Nepalese couple, identified as Dinesh, aged 32, and his wife Kamala, aged 25. The couple had been working as housekeepers at the residence for only about 20 days before the theft.

They were hired through acquaintances named Vikash and Maya Vishu. According to the complaint, the couple were working along with two cooks, Siddharama and Ambika.

Despite repeated requests from the family, the couple had not submitted any identity documents.

What happened on the day of the theft

According to the complaint filed by Shimanth S Arjun, a 28-year-old businessman, the theft took place on January 25 between 9 am and 12.30 pm.

Arjun told Marathahalli police that his family has lived in the house for the past 19 years. His father, MR Shivakumar, a builder, was out of town for work at the time.

House owners left for a land worship ceremony

On the morning of January 25, Arjun, his wife and his mother left the house around 9 am to attend a land worship ceremony at H Cross on the Hoskote-Chintamani Road.

At around 12.38 pm, Arjun received a phone call from cook Ambika. She informed him that cupboard locks had been broken and valuables were missing. She suspected that Dinesh and Kamala had carried out the theft with help from others.

Jewellery, cash and silver stolen

When the family rushed back home, they found that a locker in a ground-floor bedroom had been broken open using an iron bar. Around 10 kg of gold and diamond ornaments were missing from this locker.

Another locker in a first-floor bedroom was also found broken. From there, about 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, nearly 5 kg of silver ornaments and Rs 11.5 lakh in cash were stolen.

In total, gold, diamond and silver jewellery and cash worth an estimated Rs 18 crore were reported missing.

CCTV disabled, police launch manhunt

A senior police officer said the accused had allegedly disconnected the power supply to disable CCTV cameras before carrying out the theft.

Police have registered a case under Section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with theft by a clerk or servant of property in the possession of the employer.

Efforts are on to trace and arrest the absconding couple. Police are also checking travel routes and questioning people linked to their recruitment.